Danganronpa Alpha
by CaptainPancakes
Summary: (SYOC CLOSED) "What is your name?" That is the question overbearing the mind of a certain student, who prepares to enter a new school representing irresistible amounts of hope. Despair strikes, and sixteen students cower in fear under the mighty weight of Monokuma. "What is my name..?" She decides it's a silly question...
1. Prologue I: What's your Name?

…

"_Ah. So I see that you are awake. That's good… very good."_

She stared up from her seat and looked at her overseer, cowering in fear. Hands tied behind her back, and bound to a chair, and opened her mouth to say something, yet no words came out. Instead, it was a muffled groan that showed clear signs of pure fear.

"_Hmm? Are you trying to say something..?"_

She looked around everywhere. She was stuck in that chair – that much was certain. The room was an ominous dark, painted with nothing but the natural darkness that loomed in from the outside. Her teeth were clenched as she began to take in her surroundings and grab a sense of what was going on. Her arms were punctured; humans that seemed to lack a soul stuck needles everywhere and drew her blood. She could feel the blood seep out of her body as she opened her mouth to scream – but she wasn't able to mutter a sound. She tried and tried to scream. But she was unable to. Why..? She thought about why, as her overseer began to chuckle at her misfortune.

"_Yes… I see you are in quite some pain. However, do not worry. You will not remember this at all. In fact, you are going to participate in a very special experiment for us."_

She opened her mouth to say some more, but she couldn't utter a word.

"_Please do not worry. We mean to bring you no harm. Your help in our experiment has always, and always will be a normal experience for you. However, unfortunately, you cannot remember any of it, can you?"_

She shook her head. The overseer nodded to the humans extracting blood, and they walked away, finishing the drawing. She turned her head slightly to see IV packs filled with scarlet.

"_Please do not worry about us extracting blood as well. It is necessary for you to get immediate treatment to put you in the best condition possible for our little test. I assure you, that your life is not in any danger at all."_

The overseer's figure was shrouded in a dark shadow. All this time, she realized that she couldn't make out the face of that man at all. He sat at the end of a long table – the room stylized with a gothic and slumbering atmosphere. Thunder boomed outside as rain pounded the windows, wanting a taste of the inside.

"_Now, we will begin our tests… Let's see…_"

She could hear pages flip as the man took out what seemed to be a file. She still couldn't see anything.

"_Let's see… first, we will begin with our reaction test."_

All of a sudden, the man took a knife, and threw it as fast as he could at the girl. She moved her head in an instant, the knife narrowly passing her neck with bullet time speed. She could feel the knife rush past the side of her neck, as her eyes began to widen as she realized what she had just done.

"_Very nice reaction time – as expected. Next, shall we begin with our memory test? …Oh! I almost forgot! We still need to do this!"_

The man took out a cell phone, and dialed a long number. She recognized the dial tone. As the man pressed his thumb into the numbers, the phone emanated a soft sound… 454… 819… 1928…

"_Hello? Yes, we forgot one step. Please come here with the injectors. Yes, thank you."_

The man snapped his cell phone shut, and chuckled an ominous laugh.

"_Oh, please do forgive me. That was rude of me, wasn't it? Now, where was I… Oh yes, your memory test, is that right? First off, we shall begin with basic algorithms, such as simple math. First, can you tell me what 1+1 is?"_

She didn't respond. The man stood up, and began to speak again.

"_You can't speak, can you? Alright, what is 1+1? Stomp the answer. For example, if 2+3 equals 5, then stomp the floor five times. Like this…"_

The man proceeded to stomp on the floor. The weight of his foot shook the entire room as a sign of his treachery – yet at the same time, that treachery seemed to mix in with leadership.

"_Can you do that? What's 1+1?"_

The man spoke in a very polite manner as the girl proceeded to stomp her feet. Slowly but surely, she stomped her feet twice on the floor. Her feet made a silent patter against the floorboards, and she was taken aback on how insignificant she sounded.

"_Good – you seem to remember the basics. Now, let's see here… we need to see if you remember how to apply yourself in real life situations… Alright, here I come."_

The man walked away from the table, and slowly advanced to the girl. She slid the chair away with the force of her body in fear, as the man came closer and closer. As the man became even closer, she could make out some of his features. He was a slim man with dusty brown hair, and he was wearing a grey mask with a twisted shape.

"_Do not be alarmed. My mask is only to conceal my identity. I pose no threat. Now, here you go… this here is a book."_

The man took out a book: "Stolen Identity." He passed it to the girl and asked her to flip through it. Her head shook as she opened the cover page, and began to scan the words that came together so eloquently.

"_Very good."_

The man took the book away, as the girl began to whine about it.

"_No, no. No time for reading now. In fact, I think she should be here with the injections… ah! There she is! Come in, come in!"_

Someone walked into the room, and as she turned to look, she saw a huge syringe filled with what seemed to be a harmful liquid. The liquid bubbled as she the lady stuck the needle into the girl's struggling arm.

"N-no…" she muttered.

"_Ah! You can finally speak!"_ the man said. _"That's great! That was a much quicker recovery than last time."_

The girl opened her mouth again, and moaned. She moaned just to hear the sound of her own voice – reassuring herself that she was currently okay. The needle in her arm was a different story. The lady pushed the syringe even deeper – feeling as the needle could penetrate her entire arm.

"_That solution allows faster hair growth. Nanako here is an amazing hair stylist. She's been working for me for a little while now, but I enjoy every minute of it… Oh, excuse me. I seem to be bemusing myself..! Alright, so how would you like your hair styled? Or would you like Nanako to custom style it again? Your hair truly was beautiful last time…"_

"Would you like a natural buzzcut?" Nanako asked. "I was thinking of giving you… a rebellious look this time around. What do you think, sir?"

"_You're the expert, Nanako," _the man replied. _"I am just here to make sure everything goes according to plan. However, since we are on the last pegs of our time together, I am afraid I'll have to make an early exit."_

"Why is that, sir?" Nanako asked. "I always enjoyed it when you were here to watch over me."

"_I'm meeting with __**him.**__"_ The man said.

"W…who?" the girl managed to ask, her voice weak and croaked.

"_It should not concern you right now. For now, it is my problem, and I do fear I must leave now. So I leave her to you, Nanako."_

"M-me sir?" Nanako asked nervously. "Wow, what an honor..!"

"_Indeed. You know the procedure?_"

"Of course I do," Nanako returned. "You just worry about yourself now. I've got this covered from here."

The man nodded, and he opened the door slowly. He turned around one last time, and nodded, closing the door. The door made a loud creaking noise as it closed, sealing the girl and Nanako alone together, only letting her think about her fate.

Her future…

Her hope…

What lay in the balance?

"Now, let's get started," Nanako said.

* * *

The man heard screams as he took off his mask, and ran his hand across his face. Smiling, he left the mansion, as the girl's bloody screams pierced the twilight.

* * *

"Why did you ask me to meet with you at this time?" the man asked. "Surely, you are busy with your side of preparations as well. We simply do not have enough time for this."

"Upupupu, you seem to be a little fidgety today," said a squeaky voice. "Fear not though, your savior, Monokuma, will make sure that this operation goes smoothly again."

"I know, I trust you," the man said. "However, while the tests of our subject are going quite well, there are preparations with the scenery and the supporting cast that are not going very well on our end this time around. I fear we may have to force a delay to the system."

"That's fine," Monokuma replied. "As long as we can do it."

"Yes," the man agreed. "However, I am still curious as to why you called me down here… I'm sure it wasn't just to talk about our progress. We could've done that over the phone or through e-mail, right?"

"First off, we couldn't," Monokuma said. "Our entire plan can be compromised by them completely… we don't want that to happen."

"Right," the man said. "I forgot. They're gaining even more strength, aren't they?"

"Unfortunately," Monokuma said. "But in reality, I _did_ want to talk to you about something else."

"What is it?" the man asked.

"…Upupupu… it's something terrible, really."

* * *

**(AN: And the first part of the prologue is done. This is an SYOC, yay, and some of you may be wondering why I am doing this now while I am working on my other project. Well, it's because that the ****two stories have related storylines.**** I figured it could be cool to be working on two stories at a time that will at one point interconnect with each other.**

**This isn't an advertisement, but the story will soon merge into my other one: Danganronpa Plus, so just be warned if you are submitting a character and expecting a complete ending for this story. There will be a pretty slambang ending, but it's not as specific as the ending of say, the first Danganronpa game, where they make it out of the school. There's something else…**

**With that in mind, here is the SYOC form. I prefer Japanese names, but that's only to stick with the game's roots and setting, and it really doesn't matter either way. Please send forms through PM, though I will accept them if they are submitted through reviews.**

**Form –**

**NAME: **

**AGE (16-17): **

**LOOKS (Hair color, clothes that they wear the entire time they're there, because it's a trope):**

**GENDER (Boy or girl, obviously):**

**SHSL (Let's get creative! Green is not a creative color though…): **

**PERSONALITY:**

**ANY TRAGIC BACKSTORY? (For example, your character's parents were hit by a bus or something):**

**ANY RANDOM BACKSTORY? (For example, your character won the lottery before. This should impact the story in some way.): **

**MOST LIKELY TO BE (Culprit/Victim): **

**ROLE IN TRIAL (Stupid airhead or master investigator? Or just a boring bystander like Asahina was?): **

**LIKES: **

**DISLIKES: **

**A few notes for the form:**

**+ There are 16 spots.**

**+ I will be choosing a main character that intrigues me the most. This character will have a great SHSL, and unique things about her. Oh yeah, her – the main character has to be a girl, since I basically wrote "she" all over the place.**

**+ You can submit as many forms as you wish. This is so I might get some versatility instead of everyone trying to secure a spot as the main character or someone major along the lines of Kirigiri, for example.**

**+ I will not accept characters that end up having a secret title as SHSL Despair. This is because this will mess up the plot twists that I intend on making.**

**+ Submissions will end if: In two weeks (11/15) not all spaces are filled (which in that case I'll have to make OCs of my own), if all sixteen spots are taken, or if I randomly decide to get the story rolling if it is clear that submissions will cease.**

**Hopefully I'm not being too overbearing, as this is my first SYOC. It'll be interesting to shape a story based off characters made by other people, but I'm looking forward to it! I hope you're looking forward to solving the mysteries! I still intend to update my other story by the other weekend, to those following that, so don't worry about that either. I had spare time, and I decided to get this started so I don't delay this project anymore.**

**Thank you!)**


	2. Prologue II: Submarine of Fame

**(AN: Hello, all! Back with another chapter, and this is basically just the typical cliché prologue that the protagonist goes through in the beginning of the journey when she's looking up at the school and admiring all… Ah… BUT! I digress. The reason I can start this now is…**

**WE'RE OUT OF FEMALE OCs! *clap clap clap***

**Everyone, thank you for your submissions, and it was really amazing to see people send me OCs. I was blown away – really. I'm still figuring out which male OCs to use, so this is another introductory chapter. Enjoy! **

**P.S. I reply to reviews like Danganronpa Plus so don't be confused, :p**

**ShiranaiAtsune: Thank you! Hope you enjoy my story!  
**

**DivineService: Thank you! I hope I accomplished my task to make a mysterious setting. The main character definitely will be a little weird, huh?**

**(To Ode30 and TheRoseShadow, I am currently going over OCs right now.))**

…_Where… where am I?_

_I feel like…_

_I feel like…_

_I feel like nothing._

_I can tell I'm alive. I can see my hands in front of me…_

_I'm falling somewhere… what are my hands reaching for?_

_Reaching…_

_Are they reaching for the stars?  
I see stars up above me, but I know they're too far away to grab…_

_Am I just hoping something will grab me?_

_Reaching…_

I fell flat on my back, and woke up with a jolt. Everything changed in an instant. My dream world disappeared and I returned back to my normal life. It was still night outside – I could hear the crickets forcing me asleep with their rhythmic chirps. I always found their chirps to be soothing… not annoying like others would think. It took me awhile to regain my senses and take in my surroundings… that's right. I remember now. I was overwhelmed today. Maybe that's why I felt like I was falling… after all, I was accepted into Hope's Peak Academy.

My name is Keiko Umino. I was asked to attend Hope's Peak Academy as an Equestrian, being a horse rider at a very young age. Coming into the school – everyone was great… so kind to welcome me in as their own family. I expected to be shot at, but I was grateful at everyone for being so kind to me, as I'm kind to others.

I remember looking up at the tall and looming building that hung up above me… the size of the building seemed to resemble the amount of hope that I expected walking into it. I saw it right then and there – Hope's Peak Academy. A school that skyrockets people into fame and fortune. You're pretty much guaranteed to follow the path you want to follow by attending this school. Of course, I was excited in pursuing my career as an Equestrian. My parents drilled it into my brain that I'd be the best there is, as a matter of fact.

I was glad I actually had a talent to behold. While everyone in my class did, I heard in past years, Hope's Peak Academy held a raffle and chose one person a year to represent themselves as "Super Highschool Level Good Luck." I don't think I saw anyone taking that title this year, but I sort of pitied those students – going into this academy without a real talent sounded tough… but, everyone's kind anyways, so it's not like I should be expecting a lot of torment in the halls towards those students.

My dorm room was amazing – neat and filled with a ton of space. There was a TV hanging from the wall – a bathroom to use for myself, drawers to put my clothes in… it was like a luxury suite. I was amazed at everything, really… smiling and sitting up, drawing my legs close to my chest and wrapping my arms around them, and I began to revel in the possibilities of my future. Will I be in famous horse races? Will I be an inspiration to any generation below me?

I was so excited, I almost missed the knocks on my door that pounded away furiously.

"Oh!" I jumped, running towards the door. "Who is it?"

There was no answer. Frowning, I realized something and took a piece of paper out of my pocket. I almost forgot – I was supposed to meet the other students in the gymnasium for a welcome ceremony! Was the knocking a reminder to get ready? I felt like I wasn't late – but I suppose the staff didn't want anyone to oversleep.

I changed into my regular clothes – black coat, white shirt, my trusty boots, and my incredibly stylish black pants.

"That's good," I said to myself, facing the mirror. I wanted to make an even greater impression with the others today… "Let's get started!"

Excited, I ran towards the door, twisted the golden doorknob, and ran out, ready to face my future.

That future…

At that point, it didn't seem like a very bright one at all…

As I ran outside the door, I failed to notice something unbelievable. Was I still dreaming? The world around me had changed completely – I fell out into a realm of utter darkness.

…_Where… where am I?_

_I feel like…_

_I feel like…_

_I feel like nothing._

_I can tell I'm alive. I can see my hands in front of me…_

_I'm falling somewhere… what are my hands reaching for?_

_Reaching…_

_Are they reaching for the stars?  
I see stars up above me, but I know they're too far away to grab…_

_Am I just hoping something will grab me?_

_Reaching…_

I fell on back, eyes closing, and a door forming in my mind.

Walking… reaching… I opened the door, and ended up in a submarine.

The other students looked at me, noticing my presence.

"Oh! She's awake now!" said one of the girls.

"It's about time, darling!" said one of the guys. "Now we can finally press up with each other!"

I looked around, and the students were looking at me eagerly. I took a look out of the window, and I saw something absolutely horrifying.

We were underwater, heading towards places unknown.

"Upupupu!" said a squeaky voice. "We're about to reach our final destination, kids! Hold your stomachs, m'kay?"

_**Continued in Prologue III**_

**(There you have it. I felt bad about keeping you under suspense for so long so… yeah. Congrats to Celestia Ludenberg for Keiko becoming the main character. I liked her ordinary personality with her undertones of tragedy, but I'll leave it at that so I don't spoil anything for the rest of you all. Of course, there are going to be a bunch of other plot twists…**

**And yeah its first person. But you shouldn't be worried since I'll distribute screen time evenly. **

**And credit to HopeorDespair for the setting of an underwater school. *clap clap*)**


	3. Prologue III: Unrealistic Reactions

**(AN: PLEASE READ THIS AUTHOR'S NOTE! Both the one in the beginning and at the end.**

**First off, I want to preface this author's note by giving out a big apology to those who did not get their applications chosen. Hopefully they'll stick around with the story, but if they don't, I'm real sorry. I got a ton of spare applications, so obviously, not everyone was going to get in.**

**Also, I wanted to add a disclaimer of some sort. In **_**almost **_**each submission, the most common tragic backstories were about abuse and death of a parent/close person. Now, obviously, not all sixteen students will have had their parents decapitated in front of their face, so unfortunately, if I feel the need to, if I think that the backstory doesn't reflect the character as well as it could, I might just change it. It won't change anything major ABOUT your character – it's just that I can't have everyone parentless throughout the whole thing. Even in a Danganronpa world, that's like a new level of unrealistic. This isn't me scolding you or anything, but it is a warning, so if I suddenly make it so that your character lived a fancy life in a villa/mansion with their super rich parents that spend every weekend in Hawaii, you won't bash me for changing your character at all. Of course, the category of "Tragic Backstory" was always just a possibility in the first place. If you all can understand this, I will be grateful.**

**Similar to that, is that many of the applications wanted their characters to be a master investigator, but in tune with the last section of this author's note, there can't be sixteen Kirigiri's. So if you feel like your character is getting less of a role in investigations and class trials than preferred, just a warning here. **

**Though that was slightly negative, I'm going to also thank **_**everyone **_**who sent in an application. I felt really honored that so many people were willing to write up a character for my story, and while I do prefer making OCs of my own, I loved every one of them and I will do my best to write them as you all do see fit.**

**Just a heads up, if your character is killed first or if you character ends up surviving, it doesn't say anything at all about what I think about your character. Every death and culprit in this story is chosen at random unless your character participates in the plot twist of mine in some significant way. Which is also under my control.**

**Enough of that. Character intros, yay! I'll be splitting them up into numerous chapters since the time I have is slight to work on each chapter. The next intro chapter will probably wrap everything up though… so yeah. **

**Also, returning from my other FanFiction is a soundtrack thing. If you copy and paste the soundtrack name into YoutubeRepeater or something, it acts as a compliment to the story. Completely optional, but I always liked to listen to the soundtrack when I was reading SDR2.)**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Aria of Soul (Persona)_

…

…

…

…_Hello?_

…_Are you awake yet?_

I opened my eyes and ended up in a chair. In front of me was the man that I remembered confronting me before, and Nanako, the lady who I remember doing my hairstyle. What was this..? I thought this was just a dream? Was it reality to me..? I tried getting out of my seat, but my hands were chained to the back of it. I struggled to break free, but I failed miserably as the man chuckled at my misfortune.

The crickets chirped as the man got up, putting the mask over his face, and approaching me with a menacing aura. As he walked over to the window, the crickets stopped, as if breathing in a poisonous air and falling down dead.

"I see you are awake," the man said. "Do not be alarmed – you are asleep. I am not causing a catastrophe on the outside world like you think. In fact, I wanted to talk to you."

…Talk to me?

"Why?" I asked, my voice darker and deeper than I imagined – as if I was seeing a completely different side of me.

"You see, I want to chat a little with you…"

"Why?" I asked.

"I just want to keep up to date… you are **very special to me** anyways," the man replied. "Don't be so obnoxious. I just want to have some friendly banter."

"Is friendly chaining me up to this chair?" I asked, my old personality flying past me.

"You think I would trust you to walk alone?" the man asked, chuckling into his hand. "Did you hear that Nanako? My, my, did what I do to you have _that_ much of an aftermath?"

"…Aftermath?"

"Yes, well, you do seem a bit fazed right now," the man told me. "You barely remember a thing, do you?"

"What should I remember?" I asked, still struggling to get out of the chains. "I remember my parents. I remember all my happy memories. I remember all my friends back in middle school. What am I exactly forgetting?"

The man smiled a little, and patted my head as if I were his domain. He coughed a little into his hand, and then continued to speak.

"Yes, well, the real reason why I called you here, was for a little warning shot."

"What warning shot?" I asked. "For what?"

"Do you remember where you ended up before you came into this world?" the man asked. "If I recall, you thought you were in your wonderful dorm room at Hope's Peak Academy, no? Then you fell into darkness, no? Did you not awaken in a first-class submarine, taking you to places unknown?"

My eyes widened at his dark comments. "H-how do you know all that..?"

"…I have my ways," the man said. "I just want to warn you… your experience here might be a bit more, unstable, than usual."

"What are you talking about?!" I yelled, jerking my hands and body around to free myself. The chair toppled over on its side – I could feel the man's horrifying gaze as he looked down on me with a flare of pity.

"My, my…" he said silently. "Perhaps now isn't the best time to talk about you with this, is it?"

"Tell me what you're talking about first!" I yelled. "You're not making any sense!"

The man chuckled some more, and placed his hands on my cheek. "What a beautiful night, isn't it?"

"You're being creepy," I whimpered. "Just tell me what's going on… please!"

The man shook his head. "I cannot tell you that. You will find out sooner or later though, don't you think?"

The man nodded to Nanako, and she stuck a needle into my head.

"I thought we'd be ready to have an idle conversation, Keiko! But I guess we can't yet. Not until you have a full grasp of the situation around you." The man was yelling, and I could feel my body drifting farther away from the two. The chains were set free, and I reached my hands out, screaming as I accelerated into darkness. "Perhaps you'll be ready next time!"

* * *

_Music halts_

I jolted awake up in my bed, grabbing my forehead, which was dampened with sweat. I took a look in the mirror – and realized that I was already in my school clothes. I recollected what happened within the past few moments, and then I sighed. I couldn't **remember anything about that dream** – and I only remembered the terrible moment that I realized we were underwater.

There was a curtain in front of the porthole in my room. Tossing it aside, it was undeniable. We were definitely, most certainly underwater. I saw a beautiful fish swim past my window, and I pressed my hand up against it. The fish were attracted to it – it swam towards me, and I pressed the window even harder. Was I really stuck underwater?

I was surprised on how well I seemed to have taken this news. I'm underwater, and yet I'm thinking of how the fish are doing. I was supposed to be at Hope's Peak Academy. I was supposed to follow in the stead of my parents, yet I was stuck down here in the middle of nowhere. As I grieved to myself, there was a loud knock on my door.

"Huh?" I gasped in surprise.

I walked over to the metal door, and I yanked it open, revealing a new face. His hair was teal, and it was slightly long, with some of it hanging loosely over his left eye. There was a tattoo under his right eye, resembling the feather of a bird, and he was smiling at me, reaching his hand out.

"Oh, hello," I said. "Are you one of the new students here?"

The boy didn't respond for a few moments, and then he nodded.

"Yes," the boy said. "Pleased to meet you."

I nodded, and smiled back. "It's nice to meet you to!" Shaking his hand, his eyes were centered on me, and he didn't speak for a minute. Later, he turned around, and motioned at me to follow him.

"Come," he said. "We need to go the gymnasium."

"Excuse me?"

"The gymnasium. We need to go there."

"What?" I stammered. "There can't be a gymnasium underwater..!"

_Soundtrack: AoE Second Suite Movement 5P+3P _

"And what is so hard to believe?" asked a voice from behind me.

"What the?!" I screamed. I slowly turned around, and I screamed, jumping into the boy's arms. He effortlessly kept be afloat as I saw a stuffed dog walk around me. "Okay, that's creepy!"

"I'm not creepy, I'm adorable!" the doll protested. "Meow!"

"Why are you meowing?" I sighed. "Though, I guess if you weren't walking, you'd be pretty cute."

"I'm still adorable," the doll continued to protest. "You can't change that about me, meow."

"…Still, you are a dog that meows," the boy said. "I don't really get it myself."

"Whatever," the doll sassed. "My name is Meowykins. I'll be your P.E. teacher, got it?!"

_**MEOWYKINS**_

_The P.E. Teacher_

_Appearance: An adorable stuffed dog! Meow!_

"That's cute," I swooned. "Meowykins. So! Meowykins! Are you defunct, or something?"

"Woah!" Meowykins said, shocked. "I'm surprised that y'all aren't acting so scared! When I approach other people, they always swat me away, saying, you're a talking doll! Get away from me! Except I'm not a doll! I'm a cute dog! Meow!"

"I think you made your point that you're a dog," the boy sighed. "I was just taking Keiko to the gymnasium for the assembly. She fainted on the submarine, after all."

"As did half the other students!" Meowykins exclaimed. "It was a _hoot!_ _Meow!"_

"That doll is creeping me out, just a _little bit,_" I said to the boy, pinching my fingers together. The boy let me down, and I stood up on my feet, and I walked towards the doll, crouching in front of it. I poked it, and the doll seemed to glare at me. Raising my hands up above my head, the doll walked out of the room as I mentally pushed myself aside. As Meowykins walked away, I faced the boy. "By the way, I didn't get your name! Let's introduce ourselves! My name is –"

"You're Keiko Umino," the boy said. "I'm correct. …I know you from horse races, right? You are an Equestrian?"

I tilted my head. "How'd you know that? Not like any of my horse races were broadcasted…"

"…I. Don't know," the boy said.

"O-oh," I stuttered. "A-alright, so, what's your name?"

"…Mirai Minoshiro," the boy said. "Pleased to meet you. I don't know what my talent is, so please do not ask."

_**MIRAI MINOSHIRO**_

_SHSL ?_

_Appearance: He has teal hair that extends over his left eye. His eyes are a dark emerald green, and he has a tattoo of something resembling a bird's feather under his right eye._

"Why not?" I asked, regarding his talent. "How could you forget something like that..? If it's not rude for me to ask."

"…I. Don't know," Mirai said. "I... really don't know."

I nodded, thinking how strange he was in the back of my mind, but discarding that thought in the realization that it was incredibly rude to think that way of others.

"Come," Mirai said. "I know where the gymnasium is. I can show you."

I nodded, and followed Mirai down a long narrow pathway, to face the other students. Disregarding the fact completely that we were in a school underwater, and that there would be plenty more terrors to come my way.

_Music halts_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Re Beautiful Morning_

Following Mirai down to the gymnasium was a neat experience. Well, I said that wrong. It was more the scenery around me. I hated to admit it, but where we were was a really neat place. The hallways were made of complete glass, meaning that I was literally walking with the fishes. I even ran down the longest hallway there was as fish followed, only for me to face embarrassment as Mirai watched smiling. Reaching the gymnasium, I saw a few others shaking their heads.

The gymnasium was surprisingly normal. It appeared as a normal highschool gymnasium, save for the glass ceilings and walls. The floor was still glass, but there was hardwood planted over it, and a big stage at the end of the gym with a podium on top of it.

"…The girl woke up," Mirai announced. The others lifted their heads, and began to advance slowly towards me. I raised my hand and waved, but no one waved back. Which disappointed me… "Her name is Keiko Umino. Grace her with respect."

Mirai walked away and out of the gymnasium, leaving his mysterious aura behind, and a girl approached me, throwing out a cigarette.

"So? What do you think?" asked one of the girls abrasively, tilting her head at my direction.

"Who me? About what?" I asked.

The girl snorted, and stood there. The atmosphere suddenly dropped anchor, and the entire gym fell silent with one of the most awkward moments I've ever faced. I'd go as far to say it was just a little creepy.

"Anyways, you think we're gonna be okay?" the girl asked. "'Course, we're underwater, right?"

I nodded in response, mostly to only acknowledge her question. "S-so, what's your name?"

"…Ryoko. Ryoko Ieyoshi."

_**RYOKO IEYOSHI**_

_SHSL TATTOO ARTIST_

_Appearance: Ryoko has sandy blonde hair that extends to her chin and partially covers her left eye. Her eyes are a deep blue – and a little creepy._

"Tch," she said, walking away. I felt like I needed to bow down to her at some point, but someone else came along to stop me. His red fedora was stunning…ly expensive, and he was wearing a red button up shirt with a tie. He had a complete collection of thousand dollar clothes on him.

"Yo," he said, smiling and giving out a peace sign. "She's a little off, isn't she?" His voice was gentle, and he outstretched his hand towards me. "Noah Sloan. Police Officer extraordinaire."

_**NOAH SLOAN**_

_SHSL POLICE OFFICER  
Appearance: With jet black hair, he has really expensive looking clothes. A red fedora, red button up shirt, black pants and shoes, and a simplistic black tie._

"Of course, if she lays a hand on you, I can always shoot her."

"That's not really something to joke about," I laughed.

"Hmm, I guess," Noah sighed. "Haha, I wasn't actually going to shoot her though!"

"Obviously," Ryoko said from the distance. "I can hear you, ya know."

Noah cringed and stepped towards Ryoko and began to chastise her as someone else came up to me. He was extremely buff and built, and I felt almost crushed under his mighty pressure as if he tackled me to the ground and wouldn't get up.

"Darling, are you alright?!" he asked worryingly, and completely out of what I thought his character would be. He took out a bag and gave me a tissue. "There, there, wipe your tears."

"Um, thank you very much," I said. "I'm not crying though. I'm Keiko Umino."

"Pleased to meet your acquaintance," he swooned. "I'm Micky Storm, your trusty bodyguard."

_**MICKY STORM**_

_SHSL BODYGUARD_

_Appearance: He's extremely buff, but his personality is non-threatening in contrast to this. He's wearing a white tank top shirt and green cargo pants, like a veteran in the army, except, well… he's a highschooler._

"I'll protect you whenever you need it, darling," he said in a high pitched voice. "Just call when you need me, alright?"

I nodded, and smiled. "Thank you for your kindness. You really are a bodyguard, huh?" Micky nodded in returned and skipped away. As he did, someone else approached me. Her hair was a golden brown, tucked away into a ponytail, and her blue eyes complimented her maid's uniform.

"H-hey," the girl said. "U-um, I think you dropped s-something."

She pointed on the ground at a piece of paper. I shook my head and gave her a smile. "No, that isn't mine. Don't worry about it."

"O-oh," she said. "But still! I-I should probably go pick it up…"

"The staff will take care of it," I said, still smiling. "C'mon, what's your name?"

"O-oh, right, my name," the girl said. "I'm Kirei Nagai, the maid."

_**KIREI NAGAI**_

_SHSL MAID_

_Appearance: Her brown ponytail and blue eyes match perfectly with her black and white maid uniform._

"I-I'm not really good at lots of things," she said. "But I'm good at cleaning – so, I'll clean for you sometime. Yeah, I'll clean for everyone! Hehe…"

"That's nice," I said. "Don't slave yourself though, alright?"

"W-wow!" she exclaimed.

"What is it?"

"T-that's one of the only times I've been said something like that," she swooned. "You're really nice, aren't you?"

I smiled, and nodded. She skipped away happily, and I was approached by two others. One of them was jogging in place as she approached me, with navy blue hair with black streaks, and a sailor uniform.

"Yo!" she said. "Getting ready to train – how 'bout you?"

"N-no," I said. "I just got here, after all."

She nodded. "But one must always have time to train at some point. You will train at some point, do you hear me? And then we will fight to the death in the center of a boxing ring with thousands of flashing lights and screaming fans!"

"That's a little far-fetched," said the other student. He had a buzzcut, with black hair sprouting on top of his head, and his eyes were a deep yellow. "I doubt there's that kind of thing." His voice was pitched in an extremely quiet tone, and he shot a smile in my direction. "Hi, I'm Hideki Komiya."

_**HIDEKI KOMIYA**_

_SHSL DANMAKU GAMER_

_Appearance: Wearing a black buzzcut, he looks like an ordinary student, with a blue T-shirt and cream white shorts. _

_[AN: A "Danmaku Game" refers to the sub-genre of shoot em' up games. The "American" term for this name is commonly referred to as: Bullet Hell. A famous example would be the Raiden Fighters series.]_

"Nice to meet you," I said back. "I'm Keiko Umino."

"Hey, don't forget about me!" the other girl shouted. "I'm Takayashi Haruna!"

_**TAKAYASHI HARUNA**_

_SHSL SOCCER PLAYER_

_Appearance: Her navy-blue hair is completed by her stylish white streaks, and a peach toned skin. She's wearing an ordinary sailor outfit, and a long wavy hairstyle that is tucked to the side with a hair clip._

"Hey! You disappointed in me?"

"N-no," I responded. "Nice to meet you."

"…You're way too loud," Hideki said. "Your words are harder to dodge than the barrage of bullets that come my way when playing danmaku games. I hope you know how much I love playing those games. It's so exciting, being attacked by a huge amount of bullets flying at supersonic speed towards your way, and you have to narrowly dodge those bullets and shoot those coming towards you in order to beat the game and kill the final boss – it's an exhilarating rush that I'm always glad to partake in, but there isn't much in the genre with I do not agree or endorse, so –"

"Okay, that's enough," Takayashi interrupted. "You're into this crap too much, you know?"

The two fought continuously as I stepped out of the way to let themselves settle their own thing. Sighing, I looked around, and everyone was busy taking thought of the situation – which wasn't a bad idea. While I was taken aback by the scenery and ambivalence and my new classmates who willingly welcomed me, I forgot the real issue at hand: we were at an underwater school.

Worried, I tried to get my mind off of it. I approached these two students; one was crouching in a ball, and the other was sitting on stage, his forehead pressed against his palms. The one crouched in a ball had red hair, and she was wearing a white sweater with hearts. Her boots were midnight black, and there was a closed locket around her neck.

"Hi," I said approaching her. "Are you okay?"

"W-w-what do you mean by that?!" she stammered. "U-um, I'm fine, yeah." She hiccupped, and stared in front of her with fearful eyes. "I-I'm okay! Really! Just, you can go now, heh… I mean, that's not an insult. B-but I want to be alone."

"I-I understand," I said, slightly startled. "Just take care of yourself, okay? What's your name, anyways?"

"D-did I do something wrong?!" she said out of the blue. "J-just don't tell anyone about me, okay?! I don't want to be like that, okay?! I'm Yayoi Adachi, a-and I hack things. N-now, please..!"

I raised my hands, and nodded frantically.

_**YAYOI ADACHI  
**__SHSL HACKER_

_Appearance: She seems very ordinary, with red hair, a white sweater with a heart on it, plain shorts, and black snow boots. There's a locket wrapped around her neck that's shaped like a heart. It's closed, so I can't see what's inside of it._

"I-I'm sorry," she whimpered.

"It's okay," I said. "Try and relax."

She nodded, and gave a slight, yet forced smile. Smiling back, I approached the guy next to her. He was wearing an orange prison jumpsuit. His blond hair extended to his chin, and he wore white and blue sneakers.

"What?" he asked me harshly. "I'm thinking here."

"O-oh," I started. "I just wanted to know your name – that's all."

He sighed, and raised one eye. "You want to know my name, huh? I can't imagine why."

"W-well, we are going to be classmates," I said.

"Classmates, huh?" he asked. "Well, in my opinion, we won't be great classmates, because of the fact that we are stuck under the fucking sea, right?"

"B-but still," I protested. "I want to at least get your name… I'm Keiko Umino, by the way."

He closed his eyes for a few seconds, showing thorough irritation, and then he opened both eyes and stood up on stage. He was very tall, and he had a muscular build – not overdone like Micky, but you could tell he's in good shape. "Hikaru Nise," he told me. "You happy? Now you know my name, and that I'm a prisoner."

_**HIKARU NISE**_

_SHSL PRISONER_

_Appearance: His blond hair frames his face and extends to his chin. He is very tall and has a relatively muscular build, and he wears white and blue sneakers. The top of his orange jumpsuit is unzipped, revealing a white wife beater._

_[AN: A "white wife beater" is a white tank top style undershirt. It's very popular in movies to portray the stereotype of abusive men.]_

"Now let me think, please," he said. "I don't really want any trouble."

"R-right," I said. I walked away, heavily intimidated, and wondered how it was possible to get into this school by becoming a prisoner. I figured I could ask him later, though he didn't seem like the kind of guy who would just come out and say why. Walking away from Hikaru, I came upon a girl with pinkish red hair. It was tied into a ponytail, with an addition of a giant purple bow. She was sitting against the wall, her arms wrapped around her shaking legs.

"Y-you're Rhyssa Kaeda..!" I stammered.

She turned in my direction and gave a slight smile.

_**RHYSSA KAEDA  
**__SHSL GAME SHOW HOST  
Appearance: Her fusion of pinkish and red hair is tied back into a ponytail, complimented by a huge purple bow on the left side of her bangs. She's wearing a red button down shirt over a long white one, and she wears a black shirt, white leggings, and ruby red flats._

"W-well, I see," I said. "That's cool..!"

"You seem uncomfortable," Rhyssa said. Her voice was strained, and tired, and she seemed like she was forcing herself to talk to me.

"W-well, I've seen you on TV," I said. "You have a… interesting personality, if that's not rude of me to say?"

"…Oh…" Rhyssa said, with a stressed tone. "That's just a separate personality of mine… if someone comes up to me and tells me I'm a bitch or something, I'll just tell them I act that way to increase ratings… I'm a pretty good actor, anyhow."

"I-I see," I responded in relief. "I'm sorry if I offended you."

"No, it's fine," she said. "I get asked that all the time, and we have bigger issues to worry about right now, right? Seeing as we're trapped underwater."

"I hope it isn't real," I responded. "Maybe it's some green screen, or something."

"Big-ass green screen," she said, chuckling a little bit.

I nodded in agreement, and crossed my fingers, hoping that some sort of green screen really was our true reality right now. Walking away from Rhyssa, I approached these three students who were huddled closely together. As I walked up to them, one of them stood up immediately after seeing me come their way. His eyes were a deep violet color, and he shot his direction immediately into mine. He had white rimmed glasses, and blue hair ending on the base of his neck. He came in closer and closer towards me, and I backed up a little.

"Uh, hi," I said, as I advanced backwards and he advanced forwards. "W-what's your name?"

"Kaito Aikami," he said with a smooth voice. "I'm a Word Twister."

_**KAITO AIKAMI**_

_SHSL WORD TWISTER_

_Appearance: His blue hair and white glasses are additions to his purple polo shirt, black buttoned vest with a red hemline, black slacks, and three hair ties on his right wrist. A hair pin is pinning the side of his bangs to the side – which is shaped like a heart._

_[AN: The creator of this OC explained that a "Word Twister" was basically being extremely good or clever with his words, whether it be a stroke of genius sarcasm or something to make everyone feel good about themselves.]_

"Are you introducing yourself to others?" Kaito asked. "I hope you know that I'm always here to comfort you, should you ever feel stressed about our current situation…"

"Thanks, but I'll be okay," I said, my palms slightly sweaty. "Er, I'm Keiko Umino. Nice to meet you."

"And nice to meet you to," Kaito said, winking.

Kaito took a few steps to the right, and a girl sitting behind him spoke up.

"Honestly," she sighed. "You really are a playboy."

"I don't jump at all girls I see," Kaito said in rebuttal. "Besides – I didn't come on to you."

"Not very smooth," the girl said back. She didn't talk at all after that, and went about as nothing happened. Her hair was a silvery-white, and there was a red lock of hair on the side of it. Wearing a black long sleeved blazer, a black skirt, and high heeled boots, she seemed to be the kind of girl who was studious, yet rebellious at the same time with her cool hair color.

"Oh, hi," I said to her. "Um, I'm Keiko Umino! You are?"

She didn't respond for a second, and she shook her head. "I'm sorry, I was just observing you. I'm Umnei Shirosaki. I solve problems."

_**UMNEI SHIROSAKI**_

_SHSL SOLVER_

_Appearance: Silvery-white hair with a red lock on the side, and a black long sleeved blazer with an added black skirt and high heeled boots._

_[AN: By solver, this refers to the solving of any problems, such as academics, computer code, business, hieroglyphics, whatever.]_

"What do you mean by problems?" I asked.

"Anything," she responded, her answer incredibly vague. "One plus one equals two, for example."

"You don't even need to be a high-school student to know that," said the other person. "Honestly, they let anyone into Hope's Peak these days…"

"That's brutally honest," I said. "Who are you?"

"I'm Yoshinori Ai," she responded to me. "I'm a digital artist – which is actually a little more useful than one plus one if you ask me."

_**YOSHINORI AI  
**__SHSL DIGITAL ARTIST  
Appearance: Wearing a long-sleeved white shirt with a blue coat wrapped around her waist, and a red tie, and dark brown hair, she's an ordinary highschool student. _

"…I was hoping that you'd have more information," Yoshinori sighed. "But of course, that's okay. Not all solvers are like that. In fact, I guess I'm sorry, since I don't know what kinds of problems you solve yet. But you did say one plus one equaled two… I'm confused now."

"You got me confused too," Umnei said, sighing.

As Umnei and Yoshinori argued about whose talent was better, I noticed one person that I haven't met yet. I approached the boy who had an incredibly plain look: a white T-shirt, blue shorts, and short dusty blonde hair. He was sitting in the corner, sketching on a notepad and drawing something.

"Hello," I said approaching him. "Um, who are you?"

"…Furo Shirohashi," he said. "I draw."

_**FURO SHIROHASHI  
**__SHSL SKETCHER  
Appearance: A relatively childish look with blonde hair, a white T-shirt, and blue shorts._

"That's neat," I responded. "What are you drawing now?"

"Nothing," he responded. "…Just the gym. I draw everything I see."

"Really?" I asked. "That's cool – what else have you –"

"Your tone of voice makes me sound like a child," Furo responded with irritation in his voice. "Please to not speak that way to me. Everyone does and it's annoying."

"O-oh," I said. "Sorry. I'll just leave you alone then?"

"Please do," Furo said. "At least until I finish this drawing."

I nodded, and walked away quickly, leaving Furo alone in his little corner.

After meeting everyone, I waited a little while longer until Mirai came back into the gym. Meowykins followed behind him, holding a basketball.

"…Please stop following me," Mirai said in a monotone voice.

"You ain't too old to be playing with toys?" Ryoko asked.

"I-I think it's cute," Kirei said. "Everyone should have a childish side… right?"

"Sure, except not with dolls," Yoshinori said in reply. "…I mean, that's just what I think. I'm not sure if most people play with dolls at this age. Do they?"

"A-are you trying to say something about me?!" Yayoi asked with fear in her voice. "But I haven't done anything!"

"We haven't said anything to you," Hikaru said. "What are you getting on?"

"That's enough," Mirai said. "While he was annoying, he does have something important to announce."

"…Information?" Yoshinori asked, her face lighting up.

"Yes!" Meowykins replied. "You are all in this underwater realm, and you all seem very confused! Which is why I am holding a meeting in the **cafeteria** ASAP! I hope to see y'all there! Let's have smiling faces across the board – your school year is about to start!"

_Music halts_

Meowykins began to talk, and I continued to listen. However, halfway through, I began to feel… dizzy. The walls and stage around me began to turn fuzzy. Mirai took a quick glance at me, and he began to raise his eyes. I saw Micky take a look at me too, and come to my assistance as I fell down on the ground. I was being enveloped in darkness… what was… happening..?

* * *

_Soundtrack: Aria of the Soul_

"…It seems you have created your links with the people around you," the man said. "While I can explain what I wanted to talk about before, I wanted to confirm your memory."

As I sat down chained to the chair, my past dreams flowed back into my mind faster than ever. I remembered everything, and was ashamed to realize that I forgot the dream before. It was clear to me – these guys were my enemy. I wanted to maintain by kind personality, but it wasn't possible with these people.

"Nanako, please bring me a coffee," the man said, as he sat up from his seat. "Now! Let us get to business! Do you remember something about myself mentioning an unstable journey for you?"

"…Yes," I responded darkly.

"Good! Your memory is still intact – that is great to hear. Hopefully we can maintain this consistency throughout your days at the underwater school of Hope's Peak Academy."

"An underwater school..?" I asked. "You know about its past?"

"I cannot tell you what I know," the man said. "Just what I intended to tell you about when I summoned you here."

"You summoned me?"

"Indeed. You see, if you look at me as someone threatening to you, you will never remember anything I tell you, and you will always remain a clueless soul, trying to get past the sadness and despair that will soon await you. I called you here, just for a small warning! Yes, I do believe I said that before, a warning from me to you, to tell you that your future for this particular journey will be a tough one."

"You're just repeating the same thing with your fancy words," I growled. "Get to the point! Why am I chained here? What's going on with the school?"

"I can't tell you that!" the man said, shocked. "I believe I just said that as well! What a hypocrite to chastise me of my word choice, when you can't get it down inside your mind, that I cannot tell you anything about your school life right now. It'll ruin the… festivity, of the matter.

I stayed silent, and let the man continue.

"I cannot tell you what lies directly ahead of you. Like I said, there is a certain festivity involved. A… fun romp, so to say! Well, it may not be particularly fun to you, but it is a big entertainment for me! While the buildup to my words was rather exciting, I regret to inform you the final product is anti-climactic, and the only reason I called you here was to warn you about the amount of times that we'll have to chat, so to speak."

"So to speak… you use that a lot, don't you?"

"So to speak is the perfect word to finish off a vague statement," the man said. "Well, it works almost every time! Anyways, you and I will have a wonderful chat like this daily from now on. That's all I would like to inform you about."

"…That's it?" I said. "You spouted all that crap for this?"

"I told you that the product would be anti-climactic," the man sighed. "No matter what I do to you, you always can't get a thing."

"What?"

"Goodbye now, Keiko. I look forward to your next visit."

The man snapped his fingers, and my world turned into darkness, yet again.

I came to again, waking up to Mirai's harsh slaps. He slapped me incredibly hard twice before he realized I regained consciousness.

"She's awake," Mirai said. "Let's go."

"W-wait!" Takayashi protested. "She was just knocked out!"

While the others argued amongst themselves, I placed my hand on my forehead.

I tried to remember…

But what did I dream about..?

* * *

**(AN: Not too pleased TBH… not any of your guys' fault but I'm not sure I captured each character well enough. It was just the introductions but still.**

**Anyways I'm probably going to work on a pattern schedule AFTER I get the introductions and Prologue done, meaning one week I'll release a chapter for Alpha first and then release one for Plus, unless I get bored of Plus and decide to work on Alpha. **

**Anyways, you guys can start voting for Free-Time events with some of these characters, though you might want to wait to get a better personality. I really don't mind.**

**Hope you guys liked it and sorry of the introductions weren't up to snuff.)**


	4. Prologue IV: The Despairing Truth

**(AN: Replying to reviews… I recommended you read my reply to Ode 30's review if you want a tiny hint at a future development to the story…**

** Reven228: Thank you very much! I'm glad I was able to portray your character well!**

**FateOblivion: Thanks a lot! Glad I portrayed your character well!**

** wmsm5ever: Haha, no problem at all. Thanks for the kind review!  
**

** DivineService: I'm really sorry about not choosing your OC. That's the part of making an SYOC that urks me the most – denying people! I'm really glad you'll continue to read this story though! **

** MizunashiFuyuko: Thank you! It was just the introductions so hopefully I can portray all of your characteristics!**

** Masuyo Takishima: Phew! Glad it didn't feel forced at all – I think that's the hardest thing to manage. Thanks for the review!  
**

** Kougari: Being stoic is so cliché though, lol. That was my thought process, lol. Glad you liked the chapter, thanks for reading and for leaving the kind review!**

** king okami: I'm sorry for not portraying your character that well. It was just the introductions so hopefully I'll get it right this time. Thanks for the review!**

** AssAssinAtEd: Thanks! Glad the background music can make a difference! Not a problem at all to wait for Free-Time events. Hope I can probably characterize these characters better.**

** AnimesWorld: I'm really sorry, I made a big mistake with that, didn't I? Genuinely, I'm sorry, and I hope I portray your character better in this chapter. Thanks for the review!**

** TheRoseShadow21: Thank you very much!**

**G4Crash: Haha, thanks! Love your shipping choices!  
**

** cartoonfanatic1: Not a problem at all about the Free-Time events. Thanks for the review!**

** Ode 30: …Yeah. There WAS supposed to be 16. Wonder why there isn't… Hmm… Thanks for the review!**

** CatsinMyWaffles: Thank you so much for the review! It feels amazing to be complimented like that; never thought my fanfictions were in the prime and I'm really glad you like it! Thanks again, hope I don't disappoint!**

**Sorry if I missed your review, and enjoy this chapter!)**

* * *

_Soundtrack: AOE Suite Second Movement 5P+3P_

"Let's go!" Meowykins yelled. Meowykins got up on the cafeteria table, and pumped his fist in the air.

By the time that I had awakened, I was already moved into the cafeteria (per Meowykins' command. I didn't think anyone wanted to disobey a talking stuffed doll.) The others had carried me there, and Meowykins was spinning on top of the table when I awakened. The air was cold; frigid enough to cast a shiver upon me.

"It's about time!" Meowykins snapped at me. "Control your damn blackouts better next time! Meow! That goes for all y'all too! I don't want anyone to see my interrupting me because of any damn medical injury, got it?"

As Meowykins spoke, I observed his speech patterns. Meowykins meowed as a dog, which was weird, and he also possessed a southern twang to his voice that echoed across the room. The others didn't seem to care, and most of them were actually afraid that a stuffed doll was talking to them. For some odd reason – I wasn't, since it didn't feel very scary to me. I had no idea why, but I decided not to worry about it too much, since I didn't want to defy Meowykins in any way he could imagine.

"U-um, Meowykins," Micky murmured. "W-why exactly did you call us down here, uh, please?"

"Hmm… I wonder," Mirai said. "…"

"Y-you're smart, right Mirai?" Yoshinori asked. "This is a problem… I can't tell whether or not Mirai is smart or not. But I'm a problem solver..!"

"Don't worry about it," Kaito said. "Meowykins will soon announce his motives. Isn't that right?"

"I guess," Meowykins sighed. "It's not fun watching y'all scramble in confusion like that, so I guess I have no choice, huh? Meow!"

Kaito sighed. "Then go ahead and tell us already."

I got off the table and sat in a nearby chair. The others were staring at Meowykins with a confused and terrified gaze. Meowykins began to lick itself, I guess pretending to clean itself as it was a dog. Or was it a cat?

"Anyways, I can't really tell you anything yet until our guest of honor comes," Meowykins said. "He's a cool dude, bros! Meow!"

"Guest of honor?" Mirai asked. "Someone from the military?"

"Jesus Christ," Ryoko sighed. "No, not someone from the military. Guess this guy isn't as bright as we thought."

"He's just mysterious," Noah observed. "Mysterious and weird."

Mirai tilted his head at the incoming comments. He shrugged without getting a response and began rubbing his left eye.

There wasn't a terrible amount of awkwardness, but more like an anxiety running through all of us. We weren't sure what to expect, but I think we all knew how we'd have to work together through this. Of course, it didn't help at all that we were just a couple of highschool students underwater. Thinking through it – it won't be easy to fight against a group of masochists that sent us here – especially going as far as controlling a couple of stuffed dolls.

Meowykins raised its arm and took a glance at it, pretending like he was looking at a watch (though there clearly wasn't one.) Sighing, Meowykins crossed his arms and began shaking his head.

"He's late again," Meowykins sighed.

"You keep talking about him," Rhyssa said with contempt. "Who is this person you're talking about..?"

"You must be patient," Meowykins said. "It will be worth the wait if you just keep your chin up, and stay calm, meow."

Waiting, and waiting, and waiting… I lost track of how long we waited in the cafeteria. Soon, the anxiety turned into more of an enervation, and I could tell most of us were extremely tired. I looked over and saw Furo sketching rapidly in his sketchpad. He looked at the glass windows were the fishes swam around us, and looked back down. Meanwhile, Hikaru was leaning back in his seat – eyes closed, strangely peaceful looking for a prisoner. He seemed to be able to catch my gaze as he opened one eye. I jerked my head away to divert my eyes, but I knew it was too late when I heard Hikaru's loud chuff.

"P-please don't make a mess..!" Kirei protested. I looked over, and Kirei was shaking her head and waving her arms over Ryoko, who apparently started to take a nap. Ryoko's head lay flat on the table, and a pool of drool formed around her mouth. Kirei looked around rapidly for a napkin, but gave up sooner or later and moved to a different table to cure her apparent OCD.

My observations came and went, and I noticed all the small things the others did. It was somewhat entertaining and helped me learn more about the others. The small things all lead to their personality, which I take notice of. Meowykins was still on the table, now acting like he was asleep, to the point of a snot bubble forming out of his nose. That… was totally weird. Observations were fine and all, but what was so important that Meowykins wanted to show us..? I suppose it was just time to wait.

* * *

_Music halts_

Time passed.

Some more time passed.

I lost all track of time.

The room turned dark as the sea turned black. The fish swam to the bottom, and I realized it had already been nightfall. Meowykins had woken up a few moments earlier and was infuriated. Trotting around the cafeteria, he was fuming with anger.

"That goddamn bear!" Meowykins stomped. "I can't believe he was this mother fucking late to the mother fucking meeting! **Mother fucker**!"

The rest of us stared in curiosity as Meowykins covered its mouth with its paws.

"Oh, sorry kids," Meowykins said. "That wasn't very nice, was it? Meow!"

"No, no! By all means!" Takayashi started. "Vent out your anger. Release your spirit animal..!"

"…What's a spirit animal?" Mirai asked, tilting his head. "Is it the materialized ghost of a dead animal, perchance a cute puppy?"

"Not even close," Ryoko sighed.

Hideki was twiddling his fingers in the seat behind us. I twisted my head to take a look, and it was apparent that he was going under withdrawal from not being able to play a game for so long. His legs were shaking and the twiddling of his thumbs grew gradually and noticeably faster.

"We're getting a little tired," I said finally to Meowykins. "Can this wait until tomorrow?"

"Absolutely not!" Meowykins protested. "He said not to let you go out of this cafeteria until we had a goddamn meeting to which he was five hours late too! Meow!"

Meowykins began to jump on the table out of impatience. I sighed and leaned back in my chair, hoping it wouldn't be a long night.

As some more time passed, we grew even more silent. Even Meowykins was suppressed, as he grew gradually tired. But all of a sudden… fog came in from behind us. A thick white fog came through the doors of the cafeteria, and dramatic music blared through the speakers.

_Soundtrack: __Blood-C OST - Shousa ni wa Houbi O, Haisha ni wa Bachi O_

"…Upupupu…"

We heard a squeaky voice come in from the doors, and the silhouette forming through the fog grew even larger.

"…How is it to be underwater for the first time, you bastards?"

"W-well, actually mysterious voice, this isn't my first time," Takayashi corrected with a nervous voice.

"U-uh, not to be rude, b-but why would you say that?" Yayoi asked.

"I actually was underwater once too," Unmei said. "It was a relaxing trip to the beach… my uncle was a scientist you see, and he took me to an expedition underwater in his amazing submarine – it was so much fun!"

"Did you get wet?" Kaito asked, cutting her off with a question open to numerous interpretations.

"Pervert!" Unmei shouted. "You, stupid pervert!"

The voice boomed from the cafeteria doors once again. "…All right, all right," said the silhouette. "That's enough –"

"I'm not a pervert!" Kaito snapped.

"Then why would you ask such a stupid question?!" Unmei yelled.

"…What's a pervert?" Mirai asked.

"You don't know what a pervert is?" Yoshinori asked with bewilderment. "…Hmm, actually, I don't know either."

"What the hell is wrong with you guys?" Ryoko laughed. "A pervert is a piece of societal trash who kidnaps women and rubs their breasts all day with some Pac-Sun lotion!"

"Pac-Sun doesn't make lotion," Mirai said. "…Or do they?"

"I don't think that's what a pervert is," I said to Ryoko, jumping into the conversation.

As we conversed among ourselves, forgetting about the fog, the music stopped, and the room filled with lights.

_Soundtrack: Monokuma Sensei's Lesson_

"Jesus fucking Christ!" said the figure from behind us. "Let me goddamn finish!"

Turning around to meet the squeaky voice, all of ours jaws could be heard hitting the floor as another stuffed doll approached us. This doll wasn't like Meowykins – rather it was a bear. A strange bear with one half of his side white, another half black.

"Highschoolers these days have no respect for their elders," the bear sighed. "Wouldn't you say, Meowykins?"

"Y-yes sir!" Meowykins said, raising his paw to his head. "I'd like to mention that you were six hours late, sir! Meow sir!"

"Yeah, yeah," the bear sighed again. "Save it for later, chumps."

"Excuse me, but who are you?" Mirai asked, seemingly oblivious to the fact that the figure was clearly a doll. "Are you a friend of Meowykins?"

"…No," the bear responded hesitantly. "I am in fact much better than that catdog. Please don't lump me in with that gender confused bear."

"I know what gender I am," Meowykins said. "I'm an it."

"That's not a gender," Mirai said. "…I don't think."

"O-of course it's not," Yayoi said, flabbergasted.

The bear began to rapidly slap its face.

"Quit talking please!" the bear said. "I do believe I have yet to introduce myself! I am your savior, your hero…"

"**MONOKUMA!"**

The bear began to dance in a Egyptian style, clapping its paws together and shaking its head.

"Disco style!"

The bear switched to a disco dance as the room flashed with strobe lights. He shook his paws around as if he were born in the old ages.

"…What exactly is happening?" Ryoko asked, tossing her cigarette away. "Why the hell is this stuffed bear doing the disco?"

"I'm not a stuffed bear!" Monokuma protested, suddenly stopping. "I'm Monokuma! Your new principal in this prestigious academy!"

"W-what academy?" Kirei asked. "W-we're not in an academy! We're underwater!"

"Cool, right?" Monokuma asked. "Yeah, I pulled some strings. You are now students… overseas, so to speak."

"I see what you did there," said Kaito ambitiously.

Monokuma began to go to the front of the cafeteria. He stood up on the table, and started to speak again.

"As you can tell, you are here underwater as a part of the Hope's Peak Blabbity Blabbity Blah Program!"

"What program is that?" asked Rhyssa angrily. "I don't remember signing up for anything taking me underwater, and especially in something as complex as this stupid place!"

"Ooh!" Monokuma started. "The slut of primetime TV gameshows is getting mad at me! How _arousing!"_

Rhyssa clenched her teeth and struggled not to lunge at Monokuma at anger, we all managed to suppress our confusion for the moment. Monokuma took out a microphone from behind his back. The microphone had an emblem of Monokuma's face on it, and it was encrusted with jewels. Tapping the microphone, a loud booming noise resonated throughout the cafeteria.

"Um, excuse me? Is this on?"

"Yes," Mirai needlessly confirmed.

"Cool," Monokuma said. He through the microphone up in the air, and caught it in his other hand. "Welcome to your new school lives, you bastards!"

_Music halts_

Our new school lives..? Down here?

"Our new school lives?" Yoshinori began to ask. "What about the real Hope's Peak up at the surface?"

"Oh, hell no, you won't ever get there," Monokuma chuckled. Yoshinori stepped back in shock, and Monokuma, satisfied with her reaction, jumped off of the table and advanced towards the rest of us. Microphone still in his left hand, he spoke once more.

"Yes, indeed! Your new school lives is in the Underwater Academy of Despair!"

_Soundtrack: A Dead End to the Ocean's Aroma_

…Underwater Academy of Despair? What?

"W-what do you mean by that?!" Micky yelled, wrapping his arms around his body. "Are we going to be playing hide the finger..? I mean, we are underwater…"

"Okay, I don't know what that is," Monokuma said. "But we sure as hell aren't doing that."

"…Then what exactly are we doing here?" I asked, my voice in a mix of fearfulness and confusion. "Are you trapping us down here?"

"…Man, was it that obvious?" Monokuma asked disappointed. "Yeah, yeah… I'm trapping you guys down here…"

I could hear everyone's gasps – clearly taken aback by what he just said. We were all shocked at Monokuma's words. To think we were trapped in a place we didn't know about… and underwater at that! How the hell did that make any sense?! And to top it all off, we were controlled by a stuffed bear! In an essence, I guess that made our situation a little more believable… if someone had the power to get a stuffed doll down here, there's a small chance for us to escape.

"T-that's stupid!" Furo stuttered in denial. "There's no way we're trapped here underwater!"

"Hmm, I guess you're right," Monokuma said. "It's not healthy. But that's what artificial natural air is for, right?"

"You fucking asshole!" Ryoko growled. "This isn't fucking Smart House!"

"We _are_ underwater," Monokuma said.

I gulped my fear down, and spoke up.

"Is there really no way to get out?"

"C'mon! It's cool!" said Monokuma with a serious voice. "I'd know at least seven guys who'd kill to be in your spots now. And I mean that literally!"

"U-um, literally?" Takayashi asked.

"Never mind about that," Monokuma said, cutting himself off. "Keiko asked a great question! This would be a boring thing without a way to get out, right? I mean, it's not like I'm holding all of you guys for ransom or anything."

"He sure isn't!" Meowykins added. "He's doing this all with his own funds! And investors, meow!"

"…Investors, huh?" Mirai asked to himself suddenly.

"T-this is crazy," Hideki said. "I won't ever see another game again?!"

Monokuma laughed into his paws. "Addictions aren't healthy, Hideki! You should know that!"

"Okay, so, how do we get out?" I asked.

"Hmm, how you get out, you ask?" Monokuma said. "Upupupu, wouldn't you like to know? You want to know, don't ya?"

"Of course we do!" Rhyssa yelled. "That's what we've been saying!"

"Alright, alright… I suppose I can tell you," Monokuma said.

_Music halts_

"If you want to get out so badly…"

"…Upupupu, so _very badly_, from this underwater paradise…"

_Soundtrack: [Deadman Wonderland OST 1] Track 5. DW28A_

"**All you have to do is kill to get out!"**

"…Kill?" Yayoi said with an extremely fearful tone. "…Did I hear that right?"

"…I-I heard that too," Ryoko said, her personality changing in a second. "Yeah… he definitely said kill."

"Y-you guys! Just don't listen to him!" Micky said. "He's not going to actually do that! We're all going to live a peaceful live in this underwater paradise, right?"

"The hell with that!" Furo snapped. "This has to be a joke..! Some fucked up goddamn joke!"

I looked at Noah. His face was stern with concern, but a natural calmness that I only perceived that a policeman was able to have.

"Upupupu, what joke would this be?" Monokuma asked. "I'm a cute little bear that managed to trap you sixteen kids down in an underwater base. What do you think I'm joking about? Global warming? I believe in natural purity, you know."

"I agree!" Meowykins spoke up. "Y'all better believe this bear as he utters these words, got it?"

"…There's only fifteen kids here though," Yoshinori said. "What are you planning?!"

"Oops! Spoiler alert!" Monokuma chuckled. "All you really have to worry about for now is that you'll never get out without killing someone!"

Hikaru clenched his fists. "There's no way in hell that we'd kill anyone."

"It's funny to hear that from the Super Highschool Level Prisoner!" Monokuma laughed. "Damn, you guys are one big comedy troupe, aren't you? This is the most fun I've had with a class roster for a long, long time!"

"What do you mean?" Mirai asked, without a hint of worry. "You've trapped other people before?"

"You don't really need to know that," Monokuma said. "All you need to know right now, is that you'll never be able to escape unless you kill one of your classmates here! That's it! Zip!"

My eyes widened, and my lips quivered. There was no better word to describe what I was feeling except pure terror. I looked around, and saw the others doing the same thing. I didn't know any of these guys – there's no way I knew what they thought and what they were planning. And now that we were trapped underwater…

…No, what am I thinking?

There's no way..! No way that we'd actually..!

"Upupupupu! Nyahahahaha!"

Monokuma and Meowykins laughed in a sadistic unison. Kirei began to cry. Furo dropped his sketchpad. Micky hugged himself even tighter. Takayashi dropped onto the floor. One by one, we all lowered in spirit, realizing the futility of our situation.

"…You think we'd actually kill each other?" I asked, looking up to Monokuma.

"Who knows?" Monokuma said. "I just met you bastards. Obviously, there's no way to tell whether or not you'd actually jump on the occasion to taste some blood, you know?"

Looking around again, the slight confidence I had to think that we wouldn't kill each other slowly dropped. The twiddling of fingers and the biting of lips made me wonder… what would really happen.

"Of course, there's some things we still need to lay down," Monokuma said. "Ground rules, for example, but you guys are pretty tired, so I'll just tell you what you need to know tomorrow. Cool, right?"

"Y'all better be grateful you have such an amazing host like Monokuma!" Meowykins yelled. "He won't do anything if y'all don't actually kill each other!"

"…But we wouldn't be able to leave?" Mirai asked. "Is that it?"

"That's crazy," Yoshinori said. "I don't believe this at all..! I don't believe this at all – hell, I flew all the way out of Japan to Seattle just to prove that Hardcore Pawn was a goddamn hoax! And a freaking hoax it was!"

"…I'm right, right?" Mirai asked again. "…Or am I?"

"No, you're pretty much on the dot," Monokuma said. "But since you all seemed pooped, I'll leave it at that."

Monokuma disappeared in front of us. In all of the ridiculous things that happened today, I just witnessed a stuffed doll disappear in the blink of an eye. Soon, Meowykins was gone. And we were left to wander in our shallow pool of tears and despair.

…So much happened so fast.

And I fainted.

Fainted in the middle of the cafeteria, only to think about what's to come in the future.

"Upupupu! Monokuma's legendary poem!" blared Monokuma through the speakers. "Ahem…"

"_Who are we to judge life and death?_

_God wields the fist of judgment._

_He creates all. The sadists were born from his hand._

_And we all know death isn't a dream._

…_But a nightmarish reality._

_Think about the factors that go into this._

_This fearful despair that we call life._

_Do you really want to continue living?  
Living in a world that He created?_

_If not, then continue your life in my underwater paradise._

_If so, then do what you must._

_Will blood be spilt?_

_Will tears be shed?_

_The mighty fist of judgment eagerly awakes my game._

_We can tell, because we continue breathing._

_Breathing, and observing._

_Observing, and creating._

_This twisted survival game."_

_Continued in Chapter 1: (n)everyday life_

**(AN: And we close off with some dramatic music and a terrible poem that I created on the spot… an attempt to create drama, lol. JFC though, I love Deadman Wonderland's soundtrack. This music IMO will fit great in a Danganronpa world… **

**Hope you liked this chapter! I ended my hiatus a little early for you guys. And I hope you guys caught the sixteen students thing. I have to praise Ode30. He caught the fact that I showed only fifteen students… but hell, the person who has that sixteenth slot should know who exactly they are, since I already confirmed they'd be in the story.**

**Hope you like! I think I might be able to update more often throughout next week, but I won't promise anything, since my mind works in a way that if I don't feel like writing, I don't. If I do it that way my story turns to crap. Aaaaaand I hope this chapter wasn't crap because I feel like it was for some reason, lol. But leave a review and tell me what you think! Bye!)**


	5. Chapter 1: Section 1 - Accept Reality

**(AN: BTW, I wanted to mention this, I'm sorry if in a chapter your character has only a few lines. The hardest thing about an SYOC is keeping track of who says what and when, and while I try to evenly divide screen time, there are moments when I will give a character not as much lines as another one.)**

** king okami: Sorry about that! Thanks for the review though, glad you liked it!  
**

** reven228: Future Diary does have a good soundtrack! Thanks for the recommendation!**

** MizunashiFuyuko: Yup, as you can see, it is now officially Chapter 1! Kaito really is good with his words, for whatever reason…;)**

** FateOblivion: Thanks for the review! **

** G4Crash: Thanks for the review! Mirai is innocent, isn't he? I like innocence. **

** Kougari: Lol! Thanks for the review!  
**

** AnimesWorld: Yay! Glad I got your character better! You want some Usami though? YOU WANT SOME USAMI? Lmao sorry caps. …Lol I'm not sure if Usami will be in this story. It'll be hard to come up with an actual role with her. She's still in DR+ so you might be able to get your Usami fix there. And I know you want a cute scene with Mirai and the main character. But you won't get it until later :c**

** AssAssinAtEd: Woo! As long as I made one person laugh, my joke was successful, lol. Thanks for the review and Free-Time nominations!)**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Persona – Aria of the Soul_

"…Hello again."

A familiar and disturbing voice pierced through my ears. I opened my eyes from the blackness and saw the man with the mask and Nanako standing in front of me. Nanako was smiling and holding a syringe, and the man was sitting down, his hands folded together. A sinister aura formed around them, and I was forced to take all of it in. I couldn't tell how the man was reacting to me; his face covered with the mask hid all of his emotion.

"You do know why you are here, correct?" Nanako asked. "If you remember, we told you that we'd have to check up on you regularly."

"…But, why?" I asked, noticing my personality shift again.

"You will certainly find out sooner or later," the man said. "It is only a matter of time before the massacre begins, and you will discover your purpose for coming here."

"…My purpose?"

"We cannot tell you too much," Nanako said. "It is not within our boundaries to reveal to you this information. What we can only do is provide the hints for you to make this trip safely."

"…What do you mean?" I asked, my voice frail.

"Do not get us in the wrong boat," the man started. "We are not on your side. However, the world you are in currently is in an unstable formation. We cannot allow you to progress without some help, or otherwise, your reality might combust."

"What the hell do you mean..?" I asked weakly. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"As we also said, it is necessary we check on you," Nanako said. "If you are acting strange, it is our duty to set that right."

I looked at the pair with contempt. I didn't know what the hell they were talking about, and they were speaking to me in riddles as if I could figure it out. But of course I couldn't. I lowered my head, and didn't speak. I decided not to entertain the two of them anymore. As I did, the man chuckled, and I could hear footsteps advancing towards me. A sharp pain emanated throughout my body, spreading out evenly as I felt something slide down me.

"…What are you doing?" I asked, grunting with pain.

"I'm putting some medicine in your body," Nanako said. "Not a big deal, you shouldn't worry about it."

"Why do I need medicine?" I asked. "What's happening?"

I shook my arms around. The IVs attached to me were about to come loose, and I could feel a large force hit my head. I weakly stopped, only barely conscious, and I could feel the man forcing the attachments back onto me.

"We will meet again," the man said. "Next time though, Nanako and I would appreciate it if you acted more suppressed."

The world around me at that instant turned bright white. I could feel memories flowing out of my head. First, I forgot where I was at that moment. I forgot why I was there at that moment. The chair disappeared, and I fell down into the whiteness that enveloped me.

_Music halts_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Beautiful Ruin [Summer Salt]_

Waking up in my bed, I was enveloped in a pool of sweat. I placed my hand on my forehead to wipe some of the excess off, and I sighed.

"I had another nightmare," I said to myself. "But why can't I remember them..?"

Sighing and brushing it off, I got up out of my bed. Confused, I realized at that moment that I was in my room. I recalled fainting in the middle of the cafeteria, so it was strange that I was in my own room. Did someone carry me here..? Looking around, I looked out of the porthole. Sure enough, I was underwater. The fishes were swimming around me. I reached my hand and touched the glass separating me from the water. I wondered what would happen if I opened the window… the water would rush in, but maybe I could swim out of it.

"That's crazy," I sighed to myself. I wasn't a very good swimmer anyways, but it's not like I'd be able to fit in that small center.

I remembered how futile my life was now. There's no escape, even though a possibility hangs right in front of me. I laughed to myself – one of those laughs where you realize that you were thinking stupid thoughts. Mix this in with the fact that our lives were basically trapped – it was one hell of a thing to think about.

Looking around again, I decided that someone must have carried me to my room. Realizing that I was somehow in my pajamas as well, I tried to ignore the fact that someone would've had to dress me. Heading to the closet, I crossed my fingers and hoped that my clothes would be there. I reached my hand out for the doorknob, and I pulled the door open.

_Music halts_

Something truly disturbing was there in wake.

_Soundtrack: Re Distrust_

"W-what the heck?!" I screamed.

Mirai's body fell out of the closet. His body tumbled onto the hard floor, yet he remained asleep. His eyes were closed, and a snot bubble formed on the outside of his nose. The bubble grew bigger and smaller, like it would in a cartoon, and his breathing was heavy.

"Are you joking..?!" I said to myself. Furious, I shook Mirai awake. He groaned, and slowly opened his eyes, yawning right after.

"Mhm…I didn't finish sleeping," he said. Yawning again, he got up, and outstretched his arms.

"What are you doing in here?!" I demanded.

Mirai tilted his head, and raised a finger to his mouth. "What do you mean?"

"Why are you in my room?!"

"…Your room? …Oh! I carried you here after you fainted for the second time. Monokuma and Meowykins can be pretty cruel, so I decided not to let them touch you."

I shoved my face into my palms, and began to speak.

"That's not what I mean! Why were you in my closet?!"

"…I didn't have a place to sleep," Mirai said affirmatively. "I wanted to make sure you got a good rest! What if Monokuma snuck here in the middle of the night? Or Kaito?"

"What about Kaito?" I sighed, still angry.

"Didn't you say he was a… par-vet..?"

"It's _per-vert,_" I said. "But I would have been fine..! You should have gone to your own room, or at least slept on the floor! Why go into my closet?! Were you spying on me?!"

"…It's a big closet," Mirai said, tilting his head again. "…I didn't want to disturb you by sleeping on the floor, and the closet is nice and isolated in the corner."

"But were you spying on me..?"

"…Spying?" Mirai asked. "…Oh, spying! I definitely was not doing that."

I looked at Mirai with confusion. He looked around the room, arms behind his back, and he looked around my room.

"This room is nice," Mirai said. "My room definitely isn't as nice as this one."

"Don't change the subject," I snapped. "I'm still mad."

Mirai looked at me. He tilted his head again, in the opposite direction this time, and he ruffled out his shirt as he spoke. "But I was only trying to protect you… I would've done the same for the others…"

I sighed, still unsatisfied. "I know, but you can't just… this is a girls room, anyways!"

Mirai nodded his head. "I understand, Master Keiko. I'm sorry!"

"Why are you calling me master?!" I said astonished.

"…Well, I'm calling everyone master," Mirai said. "…Is that bad?" Mirai's face and confusion looked genuine, and it was rather… strange.

_Soundtrack: Re Beautiful Morning_

Still upset, but slightly less, I realized that Mirai probably didn't have any harmful intentions. Yet, I had the tugging feeling that he was mocking me. There's no way a normal person wouldn't know all of these things – he acted as if he was foreign to the principles of humanity. Responding to Mirai's last comment, I shook my head.

"It's not bad," I said finally. "It's weird though."

"…I understand," Mirai said. "Mistress Keiko, then?

I shook my head. "Just Keiko is fine."

"…Keiko?" Mirai said. "But I feel like calling you Master Keiko, or Mistress Keiko. Just like I'd call Noah, Master Noah, or Sir Noah. I'd do it with Ryoko, Kirei, and everyone else too!"

He seemed to be a little too innocent for his own good. As I nodded to affirm him, I got out the clothes from my closet. I could feel Mirai's gaze as I traveled across the room to prepare for the day. As I expected Mirai to walk out himself, I could still feel his stare as I attempted to change.

"Do you mind stepping outside for a moment?" I asked finally. "I'd like to change."

"…Okay, I understand," Mirai said. "I'll see you at the cafeteria then, Master."

"The cafeteria?" I asked. "Are we having another meeting there?"

"Monokuma said he wanted to speak to us," Mirai said. "Do you remember when he said that he'd have more business to tell us about? Like the rules?" Now that I thought about it, I did remember. Monokuma stated he had some rules to explain to us. That must be why he's summoning us to the cafeteria again?

Mirai walked out of the door, and I made sure to lock it. I sank down from the door to the floor. For first impressions, Mirai was awfully strange. But he did feel genuinely nice. I just hope that Mirai wasn't mocking me, since he does seem like… that kind of person.

* * *

_==MIRAI'S REPORT CARD HAS BEEN UPDATED==_

ID: Mirai Minoshiro / Super Highschool Level ?

|||Mirai spent some time in Keiko's room. He was glad to have protected her, but was confused by her reaction. |||

Closeness Level: 1 == **Level Up!** == 2

_(AN: I'm trying a new thing with this story. I'm going to be keeping track of how close Keiko is with the other students. This can increase automatically through events or Free-Times, and can affect how I write future events in the story. The defaults are ALL 1.)_

* * *

Walking out of my room, fully changed, I looked to my right and say Noah standing outside of my door.

"Hello, Sleeping Beauty," Noah said, smiling. "You were out again? Jeez."

"Good morning, Noah," I said. "I could go without the title, haha…"

"I guess so," Noah said, adjusting his fedora. He tapped his fingers on the wall in a rhythmic pattern as I walked past him. Walking to the cafeteria, Noah followed pursuit.

"So how did you sleep?" Noah said.

"I fainted," I said responding back.

"…Right," Noah said. "For some reason, I feel like you've been fainting a lot lately."

I raised my eye at his comment. "Lately? What do you mean lately? I just met you yesterday, didn't I?"

"That's true I guess," Noah said. "You know, Monokuma tried to carry you out, but Mirai insisted that he'd take you to your room. Though it's weird that a stuffed bear would try and carry you to your room, right..?"

"I guess so," I said. "I didn't really like the idea of Monokuma carrying me either, though could you believe it? I found Mirai in my closet. He was out cold."

"So he was with you, huh?" Noah asked. "That's awfully strange. Did he say anything?"

I shook my head. "Nothing that would be threatening. He seemed a little too innocent at the time though, but I really don't want to suspect anything bad… I hope he's not going to mock me or something."

"…No, he probably wouldn't do that," Noah said. His tone suddenly got a bit more serious. "Did Monokuma come by? I figured he might've wanted to apologize, or something."

"A bear? Him apologize?" Laughing, I finished off with, "I don't think so!"

Noah nodded. His smile was still on his face, but for some reason, it seemed a little more fake, and it sounded like he was trying to pry some stuff out of me.

"Well, if you're ever in trouble, just come to me!" Noah said.

"Sure," I said. "Thanks."

Noah nodded, still smiling, and he detoured off of the course of to the cafeteria. I called out to him as he walked in a different direction, but he didn't look back, and he went to who knows where. Confused, I approached the cafeteria, and thought about Noah for a while. It was awfully strange for him to run off like that, and the questions he asked didn't seem like idle conversation either.

* * *

_==NOAH'S REPORT CARD HAS BEEN UPDATED===_

ID: Noah Sloan / Super Highschool Level Police Officer

|||Noah spent some of his morning time in what seemed like a light interrogation.|||

Closeness Level: 1 ==** Level Up! **== 2

* * *

I looked in front of me. The cafeteria doors were painted black, and an emblem of Monokuma were painted on both sides. The picture of Monokuma was made as if it were trying to wink at us, though it was awfully displeasing. I walked closer to the doors, and took a deep breath. I reached my hands out, and tugged at the heavy doors. They opened inwards, and I stepped into a familiar, but depressing environment.

Sitting in a large round table was Ryoko, Kirei, Mirai, Yayoi, and Furo. They were all silent. Ryoko was staring at the others with contempt, Kirei was twiddling her fingers in nervousness, Yayoi was resting her head on the table unaware of her surroundings, Mirai was tilting his head at the silence, and Furo was sketching rapidly in his sketchpad. I took a seat next to Kirei who noticed my presence immediately.

"Morning," I said as I sat down. Kirei briefly looked at me, smiling a nervous smile, and nodded. Looking right back at her thumbs, I noticed Furo shooting a glare at me. As I looked, he immediately shifted his eyes back at his sketchpad.

"What are you drawing, Master Furo?" Mirai asked.

"Why are you calling me master?" Furo asked, clearly annoyed.

"…I. Don't know," Mirai said. "Because everyone here seems like a master to me."

"Yeah well, can you not?" Furo asked. "It's weird."

Ryoko didn't say anything, and instead took out a colored pencil and began to draw on the top of her hand. She was drawing some sort of animal, which looked to be some sort of wolf. Ryoko looked at me as I watched her draw with awe.

"Wow…" I said. "That's cool..!"

"I am a tattoo artist," she said back to me. "N-now, can you not lean against me? It's harder to draw that way."

"O-oh, sorry!" I said. "I didn't mean too—"

"Yeah, it's fine," Ryoko said, cutting me off. She continued to work on her hand and I sat back in my seat. Sighing, I looked up at the class ceiling. A school of fishes swam by, and it was actually a cool sight. Maybe being underwater like this wouldn't have been so bad, if it weren't for the sadistic stuffed dolls and an apparent fight to the death with the others…

"W-w-we're not actually going to kill each other, right?" Kirei asked.

"Hell no," Furo sighed. "Definitely not."

"Don't worry, we'll definitely get out of here together," I reassured. "No one's going to die."

"T-that's good," Kirei said, releasing a sigh. "You guys really are nice people..!"

I sensed Kirei's gratitude towards all of us, and I smiled back. I wondered what her life must have been like for her to act with such doubt to the rest of us, but I decided not to think about it. If we could make her feel like she was our friend, we probably did a good thing.

* * *

_==KIREI'S REPORT CARD HAS BEEN UPDATED==_

Kirei Nagai / Super Highschool Level Maid

|||Kirei is relieved at everyone's kindness.|||

Closeness Level: 1 == **LEVEL UP!** == 2

* * *

As the six of us waited for Monokuma to arrive, the others slowly began to pile in. Noah was last to come, and it took a while for him to arrive after the rest of us had already sat down.

"Took you a while," Yoshinori noticed. "What were you doing, hmm?"

"Oh, nothing," Noah said. "Just a little housekeeping."

"That sounds just a little suspicious," Takayashi said nervously. "…Were you in my room? Did you check that drawer?!"

"N-no, of course I didn't invade any privacy!" Noah said. "You can calm down. This was just personal business for me, nothing involving any of you."

"That still sounds suspicious, sweetie," Micky said. "I could eat you up but then I'm afraid something would get stuck down my throat, hmm?"

I looked at Noah. He was allowing these words to enter inside his system – and I wondered what he really was doing.

Either way, with all fifteen of us here, all that was left to do was to wait for Monokuma's announcement. After a few minutes of waiting, the cafeteria doors opened again, and smoke entered through the room, spreading evenly across everywhere.

_Soundtrack: SDR2 – 2-02- __Momomomonokuma!_

Looking as the fog entered through the room, Monokuma jumped out of it, and landed on the table in front of him.

"Good morning, you bastards!"

_Continued in Chapter 1 Sec. II._

ENDCARD:

imageshack.c_o_m/i/nqwyomp

_(REMOVE THE "_s")_

**(AN: I tried something new with the endcard, lol. To be fair, I know it looks bad, but it was created off of MS Paint, and I did spend like half an hour on this since I am even artistically challenged on the computer, lol. There's going to be a different endcard every chapter though, so if you accept it as it is, it could be a cool idea. Though of course if you guys don't like it I'll stop making them. Sorry it was such a short update! We should be getting to the first murder fairly soon now…)**


	6. Chapter 1: Section 2 - House Rules

**(AN: Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I wanted to note that the Endcard I made was only a test, and I'll only be posting them from now on at the end of the daily life segments and the trials. Also, please vote for your Free-Times if you can, since they officially start next chapter. Sorry I didn't post on actual Thanksgiving though. We had company at our house and I didn't have the time to publish. But here it is, a day late! And if you don't celebrate Thanksgiving, good fortune to you anyways! :3**

**Reven228: Thanks! Glad you liked it! **

**Ode30: Thanks for the review! Glad you liked the endcard, and sorry about flooding your inbox :P**

**AnimesWorld: I don't think I'll do Monobeasts this time, but I have something else. A little less threatening but still a good incentive either way IMO. Thanks for the review!**

**AssAssinAtEd: Yes, murders are always fun. Thanks for the review!**

**MizunashiFuyuko: I guess the robot idea is pretty popular, lol. Thanks for the review!**

**Cartoonfanatic1: Thanks for voting and thanks for the review! Yes, whatever happened to that 16****th**** student..?**

**King okami: Thanks for the review! I do wonder what Noah was doing… **

**FateOblivion: Will the murder be in this chapter? Who knows?! Ah! **

**Celes Ludenberg: I'm sorry about that! But I'm glad you liked it, and thanks for the review! I'm glad that the man and Nanako are stumping you (no offense), since that means I achieved my goal in creating a strange strange mystery.**

**Paku159: Nice ships brah, :p Thanks for the review!**

**Wmsm5ever: Thanks for the review! Generic reviews are still good reviews in my book, and I appreciate every one of them!)**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Monokuma Sensei's Lesson_

"Woop!" Monokuma exclaimed as he danced around on the table. "Monokuma is in the house!"

"Well, you weren't so late this time," Hideki said. "What's your announcement about? Are we getting gaming systems?"

"Nope!" Monokuma said, still dancing. "I just decided to continue our little assembly from last time – when I scared your pants off after telling you that we had to kill each other."

"S-so we really have to kill each other?!" Kirei asked with extreme fear.

"I bet you're all thinking about killing me first, huh?" Yayoi asked. "Well, don't bother..! Why are all of you thinking of killing me off first?!"

I laid my hand on her shoulder to comfort her, but it only seemed to add an even more stressed reaction. "No one is planning to kill you," I comforted. "No one is planning to kill anyone right now. We're just going to hang out, we'll be okay. Help will come."

"She is correct," Hikaru said. "We will be freed. The police will come."

I could hear Monokuma laugh at Hikaru's statement. "Upupupu! Do you really think that the police will come after a criminal like you?"

"If not me, the others," Hikaru said, maintaining a calm composure. "We will be fine… I was sent to Hope's Peak for a clear reason, to think that the police wouldn't come for us is unthinkable."

"Fine, whatever," Monokuma sighed. "Think what you must. Leaving this poor lonely bear behind…"

"Honey, you are a stuffed toy!" Micky said, waving his hands. "You don't need any relationships of any sort!"

Monokuma growled, and shook his head. "I won't hurt you," Monokuma said at last. "It's against the rules for me to anyways…"

"The rules," I started. "You called us here to explain to us the rules, right?"

Monokuma nodded. "Indeed, monsieur! That's French!"

"You mean there's rules in an environment for killing?" Rhyssa growled. "Just how insane are you?"

"I'm not insane!" Monokuma snapped. "I'm a bear!"

Meowykins began to wave its hand to create a sign for us to stop talking. It made a zipping motion over its mouth, and pointed at Monokuma. Monokuma bowed down to Meowykins, thanking it, and hopped off of the table, handing each of us some sort of electronic device.

"What's this?" Hideki asked. "Is it a game?!"

"No, it's not a game," Monokuma said. "You can turn it on by pressing the power button on the right hand corner."

The fifteen of us simultaneously powered on the devices, and as it booted up, a logo showed. It read, "ElectroID," and after a few moments, it changed to a different screen, and a picture of me was pictured on the top left corner. Right next to it was my name: Keiko Umino, and all of my personal data like height and weight. Finally, at the bottom right of the screen, it listed my talent for getting into Hope's Peak. Super Highschool Level Equestrian.

"Cool," Mirai gawked.

"That's an ElectroID!" Monokuma exclaimed proudly. "It's your one-stop need at the underwater academy of killings! You see, it's touch screen! You can download different programs on it, like a forensic scanner perhaps, and there's a very special preinstalled app!"

I tapped on the home screen button located on the top right, and a page of apps were listed, like a normal smartphone. The apps had icons that were sorted out in four columns, and I only had four apps installed. There was my Student Profile, the Monokuma File, the School Rules, and a Calendar.

"What's a Monokuma File?" Mirai asked curiously.

"You don't need to know what it is until later," Monokuma said.

I tapped it and opened it up, but what came on was only a blank screen. Confused, I pressed the home button again and opened up the School Rules.

"Oh, Keiko!" Monokuma swooned right beside me. "Right on the money today, aren't you?"

I yelped and moved to the site, startled at Monokuma's sudden appearance next to me. I scrolled down the page of rules, and Monokuma got back up on the table.

"Okay!" Monokuma yelled. "Please open up the app that says School Rules on your ElectroIDs!" Numerous beeps filled the room as the app opened up on all of our devices.

Monokuma took a personal ElectroID out, and he opened up a school app and proceeded to explain the school rules.

**#1: The participants of the Underwater Killings of Despair will live out their school life for as long as they wish.**

"For as long as we wish?" I asked out loud.

"Meaning if you don't kill anyone, we won't interrupt you," Monokuma sighed. "It's a boring rule, but it makes things fair." Monokuma continued reading out the school rules.

**#2: 10 PM to 7 AM is considered Night-Time. During Night-Time, various areas within the school are off-limits, and water is shut off.**

"…Oh, we have water?" Mirai asked. "That's generous."

"Yup!" Monokuma exclaimed proudly. "We came up with a revolutionary device that turns salt water into regular fresh water, so we have an unlimited amount of resources at our hands."

**#3: You may only sleep in the dormitories. Sleeping elsewhere will be considered as a breach to the school rules.**

"Why can we only sleep in the dorms?" Rhyssa asked.

"Why would you need to sleep anywhere else than your comfy, warm, fuzzy beds?" Monokuma asked. "You know, each mattress was created with 100% pure Monokuma stuffing."

All of a sudden, the urge to sleep in my bed disappeared, and I found the floor a better fit to help me rest.

**#4: You can investigate the school as you wish. There will be no consequences for anything involving exploring the school.**

This rule jumped out at me, as it basically meant we could go anywhere around the school without getting in trouble.

"That's nice," Ryoko sighed. "So we can fight it out with Monokuma if we have to."

Monokuma shook his head and wagged his fingers, and continued to read out the school rules.

**#5: Any violence against any of the school staff, or destruction of school property, i.e. the cameras, will be considered a breach of the school rules.**

"You can't touch me," Monokuma laughed. "I'm invincible, baby!"

I could hear Ryoko grinding her teeth as Monokuma continued.

**#6: The "culprit" who kills a fellow student may graduate the school. However, the culprit must not have their crime betrayed to them.**

"What does that mean?" Takayashi asked. "Graduate..? Crime betrayal..?"

"It means that you'll be able to leave the school, hence graduate," Monokuma said. "I can explain the next part in my handsome voice if you'd like."

"Your regular voice should suffice," Kaito sighed. "Let's just keep going, there's one more rule, right?"

Monokuma nodded, and explained the final, and simple rule.

**#7: More rules may be added to the list as needed.**

"I'm just a poor bear," Monokuma said. "I don't know the extreme degrees of your prepubescent hormones, so I can't make all the rules on the spot, you know?"

"I-I guess," I stammered. "But seriously, we have to kill to get out?"

_Soundtrack: __Re Despair – Syndrome (include the dash when searching on Youtube)_

"Of course!" Monokuma said. "A bear never tells a lie, and I meant it when I said that you'd have to kill one another to get out."

"B-but that's crazy!" Kirei cried. "No one would think to kill one another..!"

"Hmm, I guess," Monokuma sighed. "But I'll have to do something about that soon, right..?"

"What are you going to do?!" Furo yelped.

"Either way, I think I've explained the school rules well enough. Does anyone have any meaningful questions? Questions that are clawing out of your chest, like how a bear would maul a human's chest out?"

Mirai raised his hand politely, and Monokuma pointed at him with his paw.

"I just had a question about the end of the sixth rule," Mirai said, maintaining his polite tone. "What do you mean by, having a crime betrayed to them?"

"…Upupupu," Monokuma said. "Well, you see, that's the cherry on top to this exciting underwater life of school murders…"

"W-well, what is it?" Unmei asked nervously.

"Nyahahahaha… you want to know, don'tcha?" Monokuma taunted.

As we anxiously awaited Monokuma's reply, he laughed harder and harder, and began to clap his hands like a sadistic child on his birthday. Monokuma finally stopped laughing, and breathed in and out heavily, as we all stared hypnotized at the strangeness of the situation.

"You know what this means?" Monokuma asked suddenly. "It means you can't let anyone find out that you're the murderer!"

We all looked at each other with startled, yet confused eyes.

"U-Um, no offense, Mr. Bear," Kirei stammered, "but how is that going to even work?"

"It won't work," Kaito said. "That bear… he's clearly lying through his fake teeth. We don't even really have to kill each other – do we?"

"How about it, Monokuma?" Unmei asked as a follow up. "What do you mean?"

Monokuma sighed. "Let me explain, since you meatbags seem to be clearly confused."

Monokuma all of a sudden pulled down the screen of a projector, and Meowykins left and came back as quick as he did with a movie reel, and a projector itself. The projector powered on, and on the screen came a cartoon explaining a real terrible horror.

_Soundtrack: Re DISTRUST_

"You see," Monokuma narrated as the muted cartoon continued, "we're going to be holding class trials every time a murder is committed. During these class trials, it is going to be a head-to-head match against the villain – or the culprit, and the heroes – the people who didn't commit the crime. The heroes are going to try and find out who the villain is in a quasi-style courtroom, while the culprit has to play along with the others and attempt to discredit other evidence that points the crime to themselves. Through heartbreaking and dramatic debate, you're going to experience this first-hand! And of course when this all is done… the culprit, as compensation for breaking the rules…"

"He will be punished..!"

The cartoon stopped, and Monokuma commanded Meowykins to take the projector away. We all stared at each other, more confused than frightened, as we didn't know exactly what Monokuma was even talking about. Monokuma took out an ice cream bar as he enjoyed our confused expressions, and the silence was lingering on and on until Hikaru finally spoke up to confirm our confusions.

"So… we're just going to hold a trial to see who committed the murder each time?" Hikaru asked. "What if we, as the heroes, aren't able to figure out who committed the crime?"

"Then they in turn will be punished!" Monokuma exclaimed excitedly. "You keep saying things about punishment," Yoshinori said. "But what do you mean by punishment? Chains and whips?"

"No, no, no," Monokuma said. "Nothing southern like that. By punishment, for breaking the rules, I mean something much better…"

"Better?" Mirai asked. "A birthday cake?"

"Nope," Monokuma replied, ignoring the randomness of that situation.

"By punishment… I mean execution..!"

We all stared at that bear with blank expressions. We were entering a stage of denial, unsure how to process the given information. Execution..? As in, death?

"Of course, you'll experience that when a murder actually happens," Monokuma said. "If you guys don't break any of the rules, and live out your peaceful lives underwater, you won't have to die by execution."

"…We won't have to die by execution," Kaito said. "Meaning we'll die some other way."

"Usually I wait to provide an incentive for murder," Monokuma said. "I want to see you gather up bonds and decide to love each other, or some dirty gunk. But you know, that machine converting salt water to fresh water runs on electricity, and we can't really connect to the power plant."

"Then how is it working?" I asked.

"We have a generator, silly!" Monokuma said. "But our generator isn't so special like the other ones out there. Once it runs to long, it will power down, and after that, no more water. You guys will die out of things like thirst. Drinking each other's blood, and hell I'd like to see that."

"…Are you kidding?" Yayoi asked nervously.

"I can't take this..!" Micky said silently to himself. "Someone help me!"

"That's actually a lie," Monokuma laughed. "Well, partly a lie, because you'll die in a much quicker way, being the generous bear that I am."

"What do you mean?" I asked nervously.

"The full moon has just passed us, my dear," Monokuma said. "But that doesn't mean the next one doesn't lie in wake. When the water pressure gets greater and greater due to the state of the moon, and the heat fluctuates causing the glass to expand rapidly, the walls will break."

We were silent, getting Monokuma's intention.

"And… then we're going to be drowned," Hikaru said to himself.

"…How long until the walls break?" Mirai asked.

"I'd say about 45 days," Monokuma said, laughing to himself. "And to add a cherry on the pie, I'm going to give you, yet ANOTHER incentive for murder..! Of course, it's not as powerful, but I want to see your sad reactions when you see what I did..! Upupupu! Just a reminder that the incentive about the water pressure and what not lasts throughout your whole trip, but this incentive is just like a booster drink."

We didn't respond to Monokuma's confusing words, and he shrugged in response. "Anyways, follow me, everyone! It's time to play follow the bear!"

We followed Monokuma across numerous hallways. I looked at the beautiful water swirling outside the transparent glass, horrified to think that eventually, we'd be drowned by it. Everyone was silent too, unable to speak at all. Were they accepting their imminent deaths? Or were they just silently plotting an actual murder? I didn't even want to think about the second option. I'd rather die than have to hold these class trials, or whatever they were called. I didn't want to kill anyone either.  
"Are you okay?" Mirai asked, looking at me with a blank expression. I nodded in response, and he nodded back. "This isn't a good situation, is it?"

"No," I responded shaking my head. "No, not really."

"Okay," Mirai said, ending the conversation right there.

For the remainder of the time, we were just walking. We weren't talking or figuring out how to take down that sadistic bear – we were just walking. Walking… walking… endlessly walking. I didn't know how long we were actually walking, until the bear eventually stopped moving, and pointed at a closed door. The door was metal and bolted down with huge nails. It looked like the entryway to a military base, making me even more worried about what lay behind the door.

"Upupupu, are you guys ready?" Monokuma asked laughing.

We looked at each other, obviously not ready, and Monokuma pulled down the latch of the door. The door made a huge clinking noise as it unlocked and pulled outwards. Inside the room was nothing except the darkness that it was enveloped in. Finally, as Monokuma entered inside, the room flooded with a bright, yet threatening light. As we all stepped into the room one by one, we were horrified to see what had happened.

"You see," Monokuma started. "This guy decided he could hit me, and instead of giving him a full-fledged punishment, I decided to take advantage of the situation, being the genius bear that I am."

We all stared at the fish tank in horror, staring at the blood stains that spread across the glass.

"Upupupu," Monokuma laughed. "Everyone, I believe you can guess the role of this certain student!"

The blood stains seemed to grow bigger as I recognized that inside the fish tank, was a body. A human body was lying in the fish tank, and water was slowly filling into the tank. He looked up, and he pressed his hands against the glass as if he had a chance to reach out and grab us.

"Meet your lovely sixteenth student!" Monokuma exclaimed.

He lay his head down and uttered a silent scream, as Monokuma continued laughing, and we continued staring at the fish tank in horror. So this was a punishment? No, Monokuma decided not to give him a full-fledged punishment. Yet the tank was filling with water – would he drown quicker than the rest of us?

"Don't kill anyone? Fine!" Monokuma laughed. "If you decide to keep your hands clean of blood, then our amazing sixteenth student, Shougo Arisu! C'mon Shougo! Lift your head! Grin and bear it all!

Shougo lifted his head, and we stared at the horror.

**_DAYS LEFT UNTIL DEATH: 45_**

**_SURVIVORS: 16_**

_Continued in Chapter 1 Section III_

**(AN: I like this format of splitting up short chapters. In other stories I made the everyday life bits all in one chapter, but this way I can evenly spread out my ideas, instead of having one jumbled 10,000 word essay. Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter!)**


	7. Chapter 1: Section 3 - Hole in the Wall

**(AN: Hello again! Another update coming your way!**

**AssAssinAtEd: Thanks for the review! Hope that time limit adds a dose of despair!**

**Reven228: Thanks for the review! I wonder how it'll affect our students mentally? **

**King okami: Sorry I didn't get Noah to say anything again, but that'll happen with plenty of other students, so don't worry about character development.**

**Ode 30: Naw man! It'll take 45 days before that happens! (Joke, joke.) **

**MizunashiFuyuko: Thanks for your free-time nominations and the review! **

**Kougari: Thanks for the review! Glad it reminded you of something, lol.**

**Cartoonfanatic1: Sorry about making you worry – and sorry about the lazy part of me not bothering to tell you that he's still in the story, lmao. Thanks for the review!**

**Wmsm5ever: Thanks for the review, and thanks for listening too! :P**

**FateOblivion: IDK! What did he do to Monokuma?! :O :O :O We'll find out pretty soon I hope…**

**Masuyo Takishima: Thanks for that character analysis! It was great to see an opinion on every character, haha.**

**Celes Ludenberg: Thanks for the review! Yeah pretty heartbreaking isn't it? Hope some "hope" can come in and save them. :O Oh I totally spoiled the ending of this fanfic. (No JK I'm tormenting everyone.) Anyways, lol, I hope you'll be able to think of some nominations for next time! Thanks again!**

**Masumo: I'm sorry! I know I haven't referenced him much or talked to you about him much, but I assure you, as I planned the story out, he's going to get some development. ...Hehe, spoilers like that are so slight that they don't give away anything but leave certain plot points in suspense... Anyways, don't worry. And that goes for every character, so if you feel like your character is being neglected, I am aware of it and will fix it in the future. Enjoy the story for now, and try to forget about how much lines your character has, but more of the role that they're going to have in the future. Will he be killed off? Will he be a villain? Or will he survive? Why is he important? These are all things that each character I plan to have fill the story. So reviews like this DO make me feel a little sad that I can't make everyone happy, but this response hopefully remedies some of that.)**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Persona – Aria of the Soul_

"…Hello again." A familiar voice came from in front of me. I was… in that place again. The place that I never could remember when I woke up from this reality. "I suppose there's only a few days left until that life will end, isn't that right?"

"You know about his plan?" I asked grittily, referring to Monokuma. The man nodded, giving off his sinister aura.

"We are not assisters to Monokuma," Nanako said, "but we are not assisters to you, as well. You can say we are free-lance, which is not one-hundred percent false."

The man nodded in agreement, and I stared at the two of them with contempt.

"Interesting," the man said, observing me. "I still find it very interesting… your journey from that mind to this mind is sound."

"What does that mean?" I asked. "Why are you always so vague..?"

"Because I am around you of course," the man sighed, as if he had to tell me that a million times before. "Your role in this cannot be revealed just yet."

"Like always though, we are just here to check up on you," Nanako said. "Please do not think of us as your enemies, since it'll be much easier if you do not see any hostility in us. Though of course, we are not your friends either."

"She speaks the truth," the man followed up. "We are not your enemies – yet we are not your allies. We are just here to see two bridges connect."

Bridges..? What bridges..? Nothing except stone walls around me…

The man took a glance at his watch, and walked outside of the room, nodding to Nanako. Nanako nodded in response, and took a look at my face. Her gloved hands were placed on my chin, and her face was pressed up close. Her eyes were bottomless with emptiness. I couldn't sense any sort of emotion in her at all – like she's possessed by the devil. She took out her clipboard and began to write on a piece of paper.

"I'm just making observations," Nanako said, as if trying to soothe me in the insanity that was ensuing.

I looked away, angry that after I'm put back into _that _world, I'll forget everything that happened. Then, when I come back, everything will pile back into me. I hated it – it felt awful coming back like this just to remember that you'd forget everything again. Especially since what's happening now seems to be important about what's happening over there.

All my new friends… they're going to be killed because I have no idea of what's going on. A machine began to make a beeping noise – pulsating with activity. My head began to hurt; I guess I was thinking too hard about the whole thing. I sighed and leaned my head back on the wooden chair, tugging at the IVs slightly. While I did that, Nanako took a pitiful look at me.

"I'm sorry," she said, while continuing to observe me. "I wish I could help more, but unfortunately, my job is not to bond with you."

"If you want to help me you can let me out," I snapped.

"…If I do that," Nanako sighed. "…No, never mind. I shouldn't indulge my personal information with you."

If she does that? If she helps me get free? What's going to happen?

…Does it have anything to do with that man?

"What's your relationship with that man?" I asked. "If you can tell me anything – it's that."

Nanako paused, reluctant to say her next words. Hesitantly, she spoke up. "He's just my boss."

"Bull," I sighed. "That's BS."

"I suppose so, in your mind," Nanako said with a grin. "…If we ever have a single encounter like this again, perhaps I can help you a little more."

"What do you mean?" I asked. "You mean… my current situation?"

"It's not a good idea for me to indulge in that right now," Nanako responded, giving off a vague answer. "Just know, the next time we meet, it'll be with my master."

"…You just said master now," I said.

Nanako looked slightly startled at my observation. "I did?"

I nodded rapidly. "He's your master? What does that even mean?"

Nanako didn't respond, and she just looked away. I felt like I needed to know about her more… She said she could help me, so… maybe she can free me? Or free my new friends – wherever they're at? I would be lying too if I said I didn't pity Nanako just a little bit. It sounded like she was forced to be doing this – instead of doing it under her free will. Doing things without a free will… it's something I'd never imagine being able to do.

"…Oh, I don't need that pity," she said, noticing my thoughts with by my expressions. "It's fine, really."

I nodded, and Nanako put her cardboard down. "I'll see you next time."

* * *

_==NANAKO'S REPORT CARD HAS BEEN UPDATED==_

ID: Nanako / Role Unknown

|||Nanako revealed some things about herself, and offered to help Keiko.|||

Closeness Level: 1 == **Level Up!** == 2

* * *

With the snap of a fingers, I soon fell into a familiar darkness that would soon wrap around me. And like tradition, I woke.

…And like tradition, I wouldn't remember a thing.

_Music halts_

**DAY FOUR – 44 DAYS LEFT **

_Soundtrack: Re Beautiful Morning_

Waking up in my bed, I sighed, thinking about the day before. I looked at the glass floor that would soon break – an electronic calendar was placed by my bedside; it read 44 days left. I guess it was more of a clock than a calendar, but it hurt to know that we'd all be killed within a little more than a month. Yet – I couldn't even fathom to think one of us killing another. Would we? Would we take the time to plot a murder..?

Sighing, I got up from my bed and headed out through the door. I went to the cafeteria – the others were sitting down, silently eating and looking at each other. Everyone had confused emotions, unsure of what to do in our current situation. Heading into the kitchen, there was a note on the table: "to Shougo." I suppose that food was for the sixteenth student: Shougo Arisu.

I was extremely horrified when I saw that he was trapped inside that fish tank. I was even more terrified to see that there was water filling the tank – just like how water would fill into ours. I wondered if there was a time limit to his life; is that an incentive as well? It felt like the cherry on top of an ice cream cone. The ice cream being obviously the end of our lives in a month. I picked up the tray and left the silent cafeteria, heading towards where Shougo was.

I knocked on the door out of politeness, and gently went inside. The fish tank was filled about a fourth of the way, and water slowly began to pile inside. Shougo's burgundy suit was tattered and dirty. His gray hair brushed past his eyes as I opened up the top of the fish tank and slid the tray inside. It felt awful to feed him like I would feed a fish, but this was the only way he could get food. He nodded in thanks, and let out a slight smile. I smiled back, and sat in front of the fish tank.

"So," I sighed. "You did something bad to Monokuma, huh?" I looked up and saw a pitiful Shougo nod. "What exactly did you do..?"

He brought his hands to his head. Not in a panicked way, but in a way of wanting to recollect something.

"I tried to attack him," Shougo said weakly. "But apparently I had to be punished for that."

Shougo ran his hands through the water, no longer fearful that it would soon drown him quickly.

"I'm sorry," I said.

"No, it's my fault," Shougo said.

Our conversation was made up of brief words and phrases, and it was uncomfortable being here. But it didn't sit right with me to leave him alone without any company.

I looked up at the collar wrapped around his neck. Apparently there's a motion sensor along the top of the aquarium that will set the collar off when it gets past it. The collar would electrocute Shougo, and he'd die. That's what I heard from Shougo the day before.

"This is disgusting," I said to myself. "Monokuma can't treat people like this."'

_Soundtrack: Monokuma Sensei's Lesson_

"Like how?" asked a fuzzy voice.

Turning around, I gasped with shock as Monokuma stood in front of me. He was surrounded by a light that came from outside of this dark room, and he flipped on a light switch.

"Damn," he started, "the darkness is depressing, isn't it?"

"What do you want?" I asked angrily.

"I wanted to check on Arisu-kun," Monokuma said adorably. Monokuma opened up the fish tank, and hopped inside of it. I tried to get him out, and Shougo looked visibly disturbed and uncomfortable, on top of being trapped in a fish tank slowly filling with water. "Mmm! Fun! You're lucky I'm filling this tank with warm water!"

"S-stop it," Shougo stuttered. "Get me out of here..!"

"You'll get out of here when blood is shed," Monokuma scolded. "For now, enjoy this like you would enjoy a fun waterpark! I love waterparks – back in the day, me and a couple of buddies from the Amazon would head into Wet & Wild and scare the crap out of some tourists. Of course, my buddies were tranquilized and put down later, but I managed to get away, being the agile bear that I am."

"I-is that so," I said silently.

Monokuma nodded, and began to rub Shougo's cheeks. "You are filthy. Want some toothpaste?"

Shougo brought his fist up in an effort to attack Monokuma, but I pounded on the glass and shook my head as a signal for him to control himself. Shougo got the message and put his fist down, and instead rubbed the glass with his hand.

"I suppose you'd need a toothbrush too," Monokuma said. "Dental hygiene is very important – I would know since my dentist says I'm his best patient. Always use the best toothpaste, he says. Always use the softest toothbrush, he says."

"P-please let me out," Shougo begged. "I learned my damn lesson already..!"

Monokuma placed one paw on his chin and another on his hip, as if he were thinking about it. Finally, he said… "Sure!"

Shougo's face lit with delight, and mine did too, except after that, Monokuma began to laugh evilly.

"Upupupu! You believed me?" Monokuma asked, still laughing hard. "Of course I can't release you! You are an impeccable part to our little incentive going on! But I have to thank you, your little outburst made me come up with a response that was completely LOL! Haaassshhhhtaaaag!"

I clenched my jaws together, and balled up my hands into little rolls. Fighting the desire to punch Monokuma square across the face, I began to bite my tongue in an effort to distract myself. Monokuma took notice of this, and climbed out of the fish tank.

"I don't want to see Keiko go Liu Kang on me!" Monokuma said, as he ran out of the door. "Enjoy your breakfast Shougo, nyahaha!"

As Monokuma ran out of the room, I sighed. I apologized to Shougo, and he nodded as I left the room. Honestly – I can't do anything with that bear watching me like a hawk…

* * *

_==SHOUGO'S REPORT CARD HAS BEEN UPDATED==_

ID: Shougo Arisu / Super Highschool Level ?

|||Shougo enjoyed Keiko's breakfast delivery and her defenses against Monokuma.|||

Closeness Level: 1 == **Level Up! **== 2

* * *

Walking outside of Shougo's room, I looked at my watch. I suppose I had some time to kill, since it's not like anything else was going to happen. Thinking this, I walked outside to see if there was anyone to pass time with.

_Soundtrack: Re Beautiful Days [Piano Arrange]_

**==FREE TIME==**

**AN: Like in DR Plus, my Free-Times, Investigations, and Trials will be in script format. So enjoy. Each chapter will have four Free-Times, maybe more if I feel I can weave it into the story well without bombing a chapter with Free-Times, lol. It'll be in order of most voted to least voted, just because it's a cliché, :P**

[I walked past the cafeteria, and I saw Mirai looking a knife intently. He rubbed at the handle and placed his fingertips on the blade.]

MIRAI: Ooh. This is sharp.

_Should I hang out with Mirai?_

_**YES**_

_NO_

MIRAI: Oh, Master! I was just observing this knife, its real sharp, isn't it?

KEIKO: Yes, it is…

[I took some time to teach Mirai about knife safety.]

MIRAI: Thanks Master! If you hadn't come, I'd probably have killed myself.

KEIKO: Well, just be careful around a knife from now on.

[Mirai looked around again, and touched the table. He began to straddle the table, and he then looked at me.]

MIRAI: Master, do you know what the point of a table is? I'd like to know.

KEIKO: …To put stuff on it?

MIRAI: But there's the floor for that. The floor is a lot bigger than the table, too.

KEIKO: Well, yeah, but the floor is also dirty, keep in mind.

MIRAI: But I looked up a word in the dictionary the other day. A "janitor" apparently is supposed to clean the floors.

MIRAI: So wouldn't that mean that the floors are clean?

KEIKO: …No, see, the janitor doesn't clean it all the time. People are walking on floors all the time though, so… yeah, it's not clean most of the time.

MIRAI: I see, I see… So what's the point of a janitor?

KEIKO: When things are too dirty, it has to be cleaned.

MIRAI: Hmm… I don't really get it, but okay.

[I feel silly having to explain this stuff to him… he doesn't seem like he's lying about not knowing this stuff, but it seems a little hard to believe that he doesn't know this already.]

MIRAI: Oh, and what's the point of a chair? You can just sit on the floor too!

MIRAI: And your pants give you protection from all things dirty, as well. So there's no point for chairs when we can all sit on the floor, right?

KEIKO: …

[I take the time to politely teach him about common sense, and Mirai walks out of it mostly fulfilled.]

MIRAI: Thanks for teaching me, let's do it again!

KEIKO: You're welcome…

[I find it really hard to believe that Mirai doesn't know all of this stuff. But why? How did he grow up as a kid..? Even still, he's smiling genuinely, as if he just learned something brand new. So he probably did… right?]

* * *

_==MIRAI'S REPORT CARD HAS BEEN UPDATED==_

ID: Mirai Minoshiro / Super Highschool Level ?

|||Mirai learned lots of common sense from Keiko.|||

Closeness Level: 2 == **Level Up!** == 3

* * *

[Walking past the auditorium, I saw Kaito on the stage.]

KAITO: Hmm…

_Should I hang out with Kaito?_

_**YES**_

_NO_

KAITO: Oh, Keiko, you want to help me rehearse?

[Kaito and I rehearsed for… something.]

KAITO: Ah… you're a good actress, aren't you?

KEIKO: Thanks, and what are you rehearsing for exactly?

KAITO: It's just a play I wrote. I was able to write dialogue perfectly.

KEIKO: Well, you are a word twister, I guess. I was sort of confused about what that title meant exactly.

KAITO: It just means that I'm clever with my words.

KEIKO: …Oh, yeah, I can tell.

KAITO: Hmm?

KEIKO: Nothing.

KAITO: Okay, well, want to talk?

KEIKO: Are you going to come on to me..?

KAITO: N-no..! Who do you take me for..?

KEIKO: Oh, calm down… It was just a joke.

KAITO: …Y-yeah, sorry.

KAITO: It's just that people see me as a pervert sometimes.

KEIKO: …Oh really now?

KAITO: Yeah.

KEIKO: I… don't really see it.

KAITO: I'm a word twister. I can sense lies.

KEIKO: I-I'm not lying..!

KAITO: Anyways, I've lived my life with people judging me. For how I look… for how I act…

KAITO: Sometimes, I think of, perversion, as an escape.

KEIKO: …

KAITO: …Oh, sorry. I'm opening up to you way too fast.

KEIKO: That's okay, but we are just friends anyways, so I'd have to agree with you.

KAITO: …Friends? We are?

KEIKO: Uh, yeah… aren't we?

KAITO: …Yeah. Sure we are!

[I continued to talk to Kaito about various things, without the perversion of course. I couldn't help think there was more to this "escape" though. Kaito doesn't really use perversion as an escape, does he? Isn't there more to that story..? And his shock about us being friends wasn't really nice either…]

* * *

_==KAITO'S REPORT CARD HAS BEEN UPDATED==_

ID: Aikami Kaito / Super Highschool Level Word Twister

|||Kaito was glad to hear that he was friends with Keiko; he uses perversion as an escape..?|||

Closeness Level: 1 == **Level Up!** == 2

* * *

_Music halts_

_*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*_

"_Attention, meow! It's nighttime! During this period, some services will be shut off, and the cafeteria will be closed for business. Sweet dreams, all! Meow..!"_

Meowykins' voice blared through the speakers, and I realized that it was already ten o' clock. I headed to my room, and tried to get a good night's rest.

_Soundtrack: Re Beautiful Morning_

**DAY FIVE – 43 DAYS LEFT**

Waking up, I rubbed my eyes, and got changed. I decided I would eat at the cafeteria today instead of entertaining Shougo. While that did make me feel bad, I didn't want to see Monokuma again. I wondered for a while if he was sad that I didn't come to see him, but I shrugged it off, thinking that someone else would go to deliver him breakfast. As I sat down with my tray of food, Noah was sitting there with Yayoi, staring at me with suspicious eyes.

"Uh, hi," I said nervously. Noah nodded, his face still buried deep into his folded hands, and I tried to ignore his gaze by associating with Yayoi.

"Uh, good morning, Yayoi," I said to her.

"What's so good about waking up to a life where you're just going to wake up and die one day?" she yelled. "Nothing's so good about it!"

Yayoi returned to her depressed slump, and I backed out of the conversation not wanting to continue it. I continued to eat as the others piled onto the cafeteria table, and soon everyone was eating, still with an awkward aura around us.

"So," I started. "Did anyone give food to Shougo..?"

"I did," Yoshinori said. "We talked a lot, but at the end of it, I think he was sadder than when I first came in. Did I say something to him..?"

"Honey, honey," Micky sighed. "You are a dull knife."

"Um, what?"

"You are way 'to the point,' at times," Micky sighed. "Sometimes I wonder why you even question why people are scared around you..!"

"…Well," Yoshinori said stuttering. "It's just that I have a tendency to speak the truth. Nothing bad, I say, right guys?"

We didn't respond and let Micky and Yoshinori continue to bicker. Mirai was playing with his food, creating a stack of bacon, and the others were staring at him with estranged looks.

"Quit playing with your food," Furo snapped. "It's getting annoying."

"Sorry, master," Mirai said, with a tint of disappointment.

"And don't call me master," Furo sighed.

"Roger that, sir," Mirai said.

Furo cursed under his breath while Mirai innocently sat at the table. I looked at Hideki who was rapidly shaking his ElectroID, as if he were playing a game. Of course, he did have a video game addiction, but I didn't think it would have been bad enough for him to go under withdrawals.

"Quit shakin' that damn thing," Ryoko sighed. "It's getting irritating."

"Honestly," Noah agreed. "It's not helping in any way for you to freak out about games like that. Wouldn't you rather get out first..?"

"I just need five minutes," Hideki panicked. "Five minutes with a goddamn FPS!"

"U-Um, if I may," Kirei said nervously. "But I think that you're shaking that machine a little too much… what if it breaks? Monokuma wouldn't be really happy if it broke, right..?"

"Oh, no, it won't break," Takayashi assured. "I tried to break it the other night and Monokuma got all upset and told me that it won't break. I think it made too much noise."

"It would have broken the glass," Hikaru said. "I do believe that making sound waves like that could shatter the glass – or if you were hitting it against a glass wall. That would obviously break the glass."

We all stared at our empty plates.

"Hey," Unmei said. "I got an idea…"

"What?" Ryoko responded. "You gonna do some math and win a trip to Las Vegas for the state champions? Go to town Johnny Five…"

"N-no," Unmei responded angrily, puffing up her cheeks. "It's just that if everyone here can swim a little, we can make a hole in the floor and just swim out of here."

Elated, we all stared at Unmei with excitement. What she was saying was true. The water wouldn't flow into the glass since we're on top of it, and gravity. Some would pile in, sure, but we could just jump into the hole we create by breaking the glass… and swim to the top of the ocean..!

"But we do not know how deep we are," Hikaru noticed.

"We'll just have to swim rapidly," Unmei responded. "I'm sure if we're that deep, a few popped ears is worth our freedom."

"I-I could play games," Hideki said peacefully. "I can get home and just play all the time..!"

"I-I can swim a little," Kirei said, reassuring herself. "I'm sure I can swim to the top..!"

"B-but what if we land up in the middle of the ocean?" Rhyssa asked. "We wouldn't be able to get help that far in, right?"

"We never know until we try," Unmei said in response.

Rhyssa bit her nails nervously. "B-but..!"

"Do we have a problem with this plan or what?" Furo asked. "I say let's go for it. Better than waiting to die down here anyways."

"N-no, not a problem, but –"

"I like it," I said, offering my opinion. "I'd rather jump to the opportunity, rather than not do anything about it."

"No, wait..!" Rhyssa gasped nervously. "I can't swim..!"

We all stared at her with a blank expression as she made her confession.

"I can't swim, so…"

"Then I shall carry you," Hikaru said. "Do we not have a problem anymore?"

I looked at mostly everyone, and our faces were filled with slight smiles. To think that we could actually escape this way was unthinkable, but I'm glad we actually had a plan instead of doing it like this. Everyone began to pat Unmei on the back. Well, she is a problem solver. I guess her skills aren't just behind a textbook after all.

While everyone was celebrating, the mood suddenly dropped. Mirai began to speak, and his words stung of a surprising truth.

_Soundtrack: Re Despair – Syndrome_

"That's not a good idea," Mirai said.

We all looked at him at that moment with confused eyes.

"Tch, why should we listen to a person who plays with his damn food like you?" Furo sneered. "I say we do it!"

"There are two reasons," Mirai said, still possessing his innocent voice, in contrast to the despairing truth. "One, can we really just abandon Shougo like that?"

A pit began to form below my heart. I forgot all about him – he seemed incredibly pained, and there's no way he could leave with that electric collar around his neck.

"Second, I find it strange that Monokuma hasn't arrived here," Mirai said. "We were talking about a plan to escape, a good one I might add, and he hasn't come to voice an opinion at all."

"Voicing an opinion is the wrong way to say it," Yoshinori agreed. "He'd tried to have stopped us by now, but instead… he's probably just watching us."

In denial, I sat on the glass wall, scrunching my body together.

"No way," I said. "H-he's just..!"

I heard murmurs of disappointed coming from all of us. Mirai got up, beginning to test something, and he took an apple and smashed it into the ground. A hole formed from where Mirai threw the apple, and Mirai took a second fruit and threw it into the hole. It floated to the side of the glass building, and as it rose to the surface, something disturbing, yet reassuring at the same time was displayed.

_Soundtrack: Re DISTRUST_

The fruit was electrocuted. We all backed away quickly from the hole as sparks and some slight smoke rose from inside of it. The glass around it cracked, and began to crack all the way to the sides of the building. I took a glance at water around us. I saw sparks everywhere – it almost seemed like a cartoon. The fruit, I noticed, was completely burned and rotted, and it continued to float to the top.

"Surprise!" Monokuma said, arriving as this ordeal continued. "Impressive, Mirai! I didn't think you were that smart to notice that!"

Mirai didn't respond, and looked at the rest of us, smiling. He seemed to be satisfied he was able to save us, yet I think some of us were just angry at him for not letting us escape. I saw Yayoi – her expressions were furious, as if she wouldn't have cared if she were the fruit itself. Did she want to leave that much? Yayoi moved slowly towards the water, but the others held her back as she tried to scramble for the body of water. Mirai looked slightly disturbed, but looked at Monokuma next.

"You didn't come to stop us," Mirai said. "Why?"

"Because it would have been funny to see you guys fry," Monokuma said. "Nothing more, nothing less."

Rhyssa looked relieved that she didn't have to go into the water, and the others looked at Monokuma fearfully. Monokuma yawned, and stretched his arms out.

"Yup," Monokuma said. "The water electrocution is how I get my fish, too. Delicious! You know, fresh fish is the best fish."

"Shut up!" Furo yelled, his hands balled into fists.

"I thought up of everything," Monokuma said. "You guys shouldn't even think of escape, because if you tried that little stunt just there… Well, let's just say you would have been the next menu item at the Kibougamine County Fair!"

Monokuma laughed his evil laugh, and disappeared as the others were left in his dust. Angered, Noah punched the wall.

"Are we just going to wait to die..?" he asked weakly. "What can we do?!"

"…He said to kill each other," Yayoi said. "H-he said to escape, we'd have to kill each other..!"

"No! Hell no!" Furo yelled. "You will not think about killing someone here!"

"I'm not!" Yayoi screamed. "I just… I want to go home..!"

I looked at the security camera angled right at us. Monokuma must be laughing at us wherever he was…

"We all do," Hikaru said with an urgent tone. "But what we must do right now is stay calm. Unmei, do you have anything else that you thought up?"

"C-c'mon, Unmei!" Kaito begged. "Think of something..! I believe in you!"

Unmei fidgeted with her thumbs. "I'm sorry… I only thought of that one solution… I-I'm sorry..! I could have killed all of you!"

"D-don't blame yourself," Kaito stammered. "No, Monokuma wanted one of us to be offed. Maybe as an example."

"But I saved the day!" Mirai said proudly.

"Not the time!" Ryoko yelled. "Okay, you saved us! But what are we going to do now?!"

I got up from my slouched position, and stood up. Everyone was panicking, even though Mirai's intentions were to save all of us. Would we really get out of our situation alive..?

"S-shouldn't we just live out our lives here?" Kirei asked nervously.

"Are you telling me you like this place?!" Ryoko screamed. "I want to get the fuck out of here! Everyone else here wants to get the fuck out of here! But we can't because that fucking bear thought of everything..!"

"I-I'm sorry!" Kirei whimpered. "Please don't curse me out!"

"Y-yelling at Kirei won't do anything!" Rhyssa yelled. "We have to just calm down and think! Let's think! Alright you guys?"

"Monokuma literally thought of everything, didn't he?" Noah asked. "Maybe Kirei is right…"

"You mean you don't want to get the out of here?!" Furo asked with rage. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Noah frowned and began to lose his calm composure. "No! I want to get out, but I don't want to take someone's life! I'd rather live out here and die, rather than kill someone, and watch the rest of you die!"

We all looked at Noah, and he ran his hands across his face. "No, let's just stay here. We need to come together, and become friends, or otherwise, we won't think of anything."

"So you're saying we should just wait to see if a solution comes to us?" Takayashi asked. "I-I can deal with that instead of waiting to be electrocuted like that poor fruit. Y-yeah, everyone do what Noah says!"

"B-but I need a game," Hideki whimpered.

Ignoring him, the others calmed down. We all understood what Noah was saying. We had to strengthen our bonds together, and just maybe we'd find a way to get out by discussing with each other. I smiled at that idea. If we had a chance to get out, calming ourselves and becoming good with each other was the best solution. With that, breakfast ended, and we all dispersed.

_Music halts_

With the time left in the day, I decided to do what Noah suggested. Strengthen my bonds with the others…

_Soundtrack: Beautiful Days [Piano Arrange]_

**==FREE TIME==**

[Down heading towards my room, Hikaru was tracing his finger across the glass floor.]

HIKARU: Oh. Hello.

_Should I… try and hang out with Hikaru?_

_**YES**_

_NO_

HIKARU: Yes. I would enjoy that.

[I talked to Hikaru, surprised at his ability to interact with me.]

HIKARU: …You must be afraid.

KEIKO: Afraid of what?

HIKARU: Are you not startled that I am a prisoner? Quite a renowned one, if I say so myself.

KEIKO: Not really. Whatever you did was in the past, right?

HIKARU: What I did in the past... it's nothing I can erase from my life.

KEIKO: True, you can't erase it.

KEIKO: But you can grow past it, can't you?

HIKARU: …

KEIKO: If I broke a kids arm, I could never forget that.

KEIKO: But that kid could still be my friend. I mean, it was just an accident.

KEIKO: You seem nice, I'm sure you didn't do whatever you did on purpose.

HIKARU: …

HIKARU: I suppose you are right.

HIKARU: That is one of the reasons I was allowed to come to this school.

KEIKO: To grow past whatever you did before you were arrested?

HIKARU: …

HIKARU: I do not mean to indulge you with my personal matters.

HIKARU: But I am almost certain that I did not commit the crime that everyone thinks I committed.

KEIKO: You mean you think you were falsely convicted?

HIKARU: Yes. There's no reason to do what they think I did.

KEIKO: …What was this thing that's so terrifying?

HIKARU: What is it?

HIKARU: No, I do not want to concern you with what I did. I just want you to know…

HIKARU: Behind this orange jumpsuit, it's not a cold-blooded person.

KEIKO: …Yeah, I know that.

KEIKO: If I were afraid of you, I wouldn't have asked to hang out with you.

HIKARU: …

HIKARU: You are correct on that, as well.

[Hikaru cracked a smile. That's nice, that under his calm composure, there's an actual person. He feels, he cries. Judging from his personality, I think I can believe Hikaru when he says he didn't do anything either… But, what is it exactly that he "didn't do?" What was his crime? I didn't want to bring out a subject that he'd be uncomfortable with… but I couldn't help but feel slightly intrigued.]

* * *

_==HIKARU'S PERSONALITY HAS BEEN UPDATED==_

ID: Hikaru Nise / Super Highschool Level Prisoner

|||Hikaru told Keiko he was falsely accused for the crime they think he committed.|||

Closeness Level: 1 == **Level Up!** == 2

* * *

[Ryoko was coloring on her arm with a marker in front of the art room… should I go say hi?]

RYOKO: …It's you.

_Well, too late. Should I hang out with her?_

_**YES**_

_NO_

RYOKO: I guess.

[Ryoko took the time to make various "tattoos" on my arm.]

KEIKO: This is really amazing art.

RYOKO: It's nothing.

KEIKO: I always imagined tattoo artists as…

KEIKO: Well, never mind.

RYOKO: …Say it, I hear it all the time.

[As she sad that, a sneer grew on her face.]

KEIKO: No, you aren't, so I won't say it.

RYOKO: Well I think it was along the lines of trashy, ghetto, or stupid, right?

KEIKO: N-not exactly.

RYOKO: I like drawing art. That's it. I think putting art on your body is a good way to express yourself.

RYOKO: That's why I make tattoos. I want to help people express themselves…

KEIKO: That's cool, really.

KEIKO: You know, I never really wanted a tattoo, but after hearing that, I'm almost convinced.

RYOKO: Almost, huh?

RYOKO: Well, that's good, I guess. We can always stick to colored markers anyways.

RYOKO: Besides, it's permanent. It's not for everyone.

KEIKO: I always wondered if it hurt to get a tattoo.

RYOKO: Hurts like a bitch.

[Ryoko laughed a bit.]

RYOKO: Oh, and by the way, I never do tattoos of tits.

RYOKO: Or dicks, on that matter. Anything like that is out of my profession. Hell no.

KEIKO: Even you have your standards, huh?

RYOKO: Of course.

[Hmm. Ryoko's not exactly what she seems to be on the outside, is she? She has her properties like everyone else, and she only sees tattoos as a way to show expression. That's cool – I feel like I understand her a little better now.]

* * *

_==RYOKO'S REPORT CARD HAS BEEN UPDATED==_

ID: Ryoko Ieyoshi / Super Highschool Level Tattoo Artist

|||Ryoko sees tattoos as an expression, rather than a piece of taint.|||

Closeness Level: 1 == **Level Up!** == 2

* * *

_Music halts_

…

_...Huh._

…_This again. This feeling again…_

…

_Soundtrack: Persona – Aria of the Soul_

"Hello."

This time, the voice was not of the man, but Nanako, who was smiling across of the table.

"I suppose I was lying when I said that the next time you'd meet me would be with my master. He is currently out right now on a business trip."

Even he has business trips, huh?

"…I don't know what to say," I smirked. "Do I say good to see you, or fuck you?"

"You're nothing like yourself in the school, are you?" Nanako asked. "Well, that's okay. I also told you that I'd help you out, didn't I?"

"…You did."

"So I did. And I won't turn back on that promise, since you seemed to show a genuine sympathy for me. I'm going to keep our meeting brief, but I still have to do my routine checkup."

Nanako came up with a familiar clipboard, and she began to scribble down a bunch of notes as I stared at her with a confused stare.

"How are you going to help me?" I asked. "That's what I want to know?"

"The information you want," Nanako started, "is most likely out of my grasp. It's nothing I can tell you, but what I can do is help you get across your journey."

"My journey? What are you talking about?"

"You do know we can monitor you while you are in the school, correct?" Nanako asked. "I will not reveal how, or why we do it, but while we can monitor you, we can monitor the others as well."

"Why is it only me being observed?"

"That is a secret, well hidden. It will be revealed to you soon, I suppose. I don't really know what to tell you about that."

I frowned with disappointment. "So how are you going to help me this time?"

"I'm giving you a warning," Nanako said. "I'm going to wake you up now… and I want you to proceed slowly to where Shougo is being kept."

"How do you know his name..?"

"I told you. My master and I can monitor all the activities of you, and your fellow classmates."

I looked at her with glaring eyes. "Why do you want me to go in there?"

"I'm not one to give out spoilers," Nanako said. "But I'm sure it is quite obvious from the context, isn't it?"

I laughed. Not playful laugh, but more of a laugh to question the sanity of a person in front of you. "Hell, I'm strapped to IVs being sent to a world where I don't even know what's going on. Forgive me ma'am if I don't know exactly what you are talking about."

"You are true, I suppose," Nanako said. "I would feel the way you do too, if I were in your situation."

Nanako laughed. Her laugh was different from mine. Was she actually enjoying herself?

"We'll see each other again soon," Nanako sighed. "Again, like I said, I want you to go to Shougo's room. It should still be nighttime."

"But wait," I said. "I won't even remember your words."

"I'll make sure you will," Nanako said. "I might even provide a sign for you."

"A sign?" I asked. "What kind of sign?"

"I said I might. I never said I would. Besides, you should remember it anyways."

"I don't see why I should," I said. "And from evidence before, I don't think I will."

Nanako shook her head in disapproval.

"Put some faith in me, please," Nanako said. "I will make sure that you remember, okay?"

"Well, I hope you live through this ordeal," Nanako said.

* * *

_==NANAKO'S REPORT CARD HAS BEEN UPDATED==_

ID: Nanako / Role Unknown

|||Nanako helped Keiko with her "first task."|||

Closeness Level: 2 == **Level Up!** === 3

* * *

"Goodbye now," Nanako said. "I hope you had a nice rest."

Nanako snapped her fingers, and the darkness soon wrapped me again, leading me to the world where I rest without a memory of what transpires here.

It pains me to think like that.

* * *

_Music halts_

I woke up on my bed.

My mind was pounding furiously. Why did I feel like this? What was this voice inside my head?

I feel the need to check up on Shougo, but why? What's this feeling tempting me to go? What is happening to me?! I hold my head and run to his room. My mind carries me on its down as I approach its big metal doors.

Words rang inside my head. "He's in that room… he's in it."

This voice… it didn't belong to me. It belonged to someone else, but why was it talking to me? Whatever it was, I felt the need to go inside… my head was telling me to. I have to. I have to check.

Why? Why?! I didn't understand why, but even so, I have to do it, don't I? I'm telling myself. I'm telling myself that I have to open this door. I don't understand it, but something is telling me to.

My hand slowly reached for the handle.

I placed my hand on it, and began to slowly turn it.

The door slowly creaked open.

And…

_Continued in Chapter 1 Section IV_

**(AN: And I leave with a dick cliffhanger. Byeeeeee!)**


	8. Chapter 1: Section 4 - Ace Attornies

**(AN: What's in the door..?**

**King Okami: Thanks for your free-time votes and the review! **

**Celes Ludenberg: Thanks a lot! I'm really glad you liked it, and that's a really cool compliment, so thank you! Thanks for the nominations, too.**

**Ode 30: I love your speculation, lol. Thanks for the review!**

**Paku159: Instead of the bacon, I would have gone for some pancakes. Still tastes okay burned with some syrup. **

**Wmsm5ever: Thanks for that! Glad I could hit a balance! It was always my goal to make it similar to a DR game, since I find the writing in those games witty yet intriguing. So thanks a lot! And NP with Rhyssa, I'll get her personality right soon :P**

**Reven228: I know, I'm a big dick :p Thanks for the review, glad people are catching my Persona references, lol.**

**Kougari: Thanks a lot! You're awesome too, :P**

**G4Crash: Well here's the next chapter now! Thanks for the review!**

**FateOblivion: **_**Beat the twisted evil things…**_** Thanks for the review!)**

* * *

As I slowly opened the door, and peered inside the pitch black room… the smell of blood rose to my nostrils. Startled, I pushed the door open as quickly as I could with all my might, and fumbled quickly for the light switch. I stopped, sank to the floor, and stared at what I discovered.

Hideki was next to the fish tank. I could see guts lying down on the floor, which wasn't exactly a pleasant sight, and a huge katana was still pierced inside the middle of his chest. As if only to confirm it to myself, I walked over, and hesitantly checked for his pulse. But sure enough.

_Soundtrack: Desperate Mastermind Girl_

Hideki Komiya was dead.

.../**SURVIVORS: 15**

I ran out of the room as fast as I could. I screamed for help and ran to the dormitories, knocking on all of the doors. I knocked at everyone's door, and everyone soon came out, rubbing their eyes.

"W-what the hell? Let me sleep," Yayoi muttered.

"I didn't finish sleeping either," Mirai yawned.

I took them by their wrists and forced them into coming with me. Running with my hand still firmly grasping them, I yanked them into the room and pointed at Hideki's body. Yayoi began to scream her lungs out, and Mirai tilted his head as if he didn't know what he was even looking at. Finally, Mirai raised his finger.

"Oh! Hideki, what are you doing on the floor?"

"He's dead! He's fucking dead, you idiot!"

Yayoi backed up to the wall, and leaned down, grabbing her hands as she screamed. We all stared at Hideki's dead body – his guts completely spilled. Even by the standards of a murder, this was too brutal. Too brutal for me to even consider. Who here would kill someone, yet alone kill him in that matter? I was terrified.

The others ran in shortly after us, and screams and gasps were heard through us. I heard Kaito running out to vomit somewhere, and the others just slowly peered into the room, confirming to themselves that yes, Hideki was indeed dead.

I looked at Shougo. He was just as afraid as the rest of us. The water had stopped flowing in, but he was still terrified. He was balled up, absolutely terrified. Petrified. And yet, even though I saw the genuine fear in his heart, the others were screaming at him.

"W-what did you do?!" I heard Takayashi scream. "Did you kill him?!"

"F-fuck! Fuck, fuck!" Furo yelled. "Why..? Why would anyone do this?! Was it you?! It was you, wasn't it?!"

Everyone screamed.

"Oh dear!" Micky stammered. "Oh dearohdearohdearohdearohdearohdear!"

As we all just stood in denial over Hideki's death, Monokuma arrived.

_Soundtrack: Re Monokuma Sensei's Tutoring_

"Nyahahaha! I knew you guys had it in you!" Monokuma exclaimed. "Look at this fine display of guts and gore! I love it! I give it five stars! Kudos to you, murderer, for being able to kill Hideki in such a reckless and disturbing matter!"

We all stared at Monokuma with disgusted stares.

"How could you laugh at this?!" I asked. "Aren't you disturbed in the slightest?!"

"No," Monokuma replied. "I'm a bear – I eat human guts anyways, so it's not like seeing them is an actual surprise, you know? You want to try some?"

Monokuma walked over towards Hideki's guts, but I quickly brushed him away from it, not touching him hard enough to be considered a threat.

"No, that's okay," I said. "Let's just leave it at that."

"Anyways, congratulations!" Monokuma continued. "It's the first murder at the Underwater Academy of Despair! You guys deserve a standing ovation for this, even though it was only one of you that killed Hideki, upupupu!"

Monokuma continued to laugh more, and we all just stared. Expressionless.

"Really though, we're barely three days into our little venture here at the school. How could you guys murder in that short of time? It's sort of funny, really. Everyone says that they won't murder, and that they won't try and kill. But look at you guys now. You guys killed someone in the quickest time. Faster than anyone else I've ever had! I'm proud of you guys. No, really, I am! Nyahahaha!"

Monokuma finished his little monologue, and while griping, our ElectroID's started to vibrate. I took mine out, and noticed that there was an update in the app: "Monokuma Files." I tapped it to open it, and was disturbed to see that a button for Hideki's death was listed. I tapped on it, and this opened up:

|Victim: Hideki Komiya

|Cause of Death:

|Numerous stabs in the chest caused guts to be spilled out, and several important organs were punctured.

|Time of Death:

|12:02 AM

|Additional Details:

|N/A

I closed the app and looked at the clock located on my ElectroID. It was only 1:02 AM. So… I had that feeling to go to Shougo's room an hour after Hideki died? I couldn't explain it, yet I felt like I didn't want to. If only though I went earlier… I could've stopped all of this. I clenched my jaws together and pointed at Monokuma.

"We're going to find out who killed Hideki!" I assured him. "Don't think we're going to die today?"

Monokuma's eyes lit up, and he smiled. "Upupupu, really now?"

I nodded, and I looked at the others. They were still terrified, but it seemed like they all agreed. It was time to avenge Hideki's death.

"Well, good luck then," Monokuma chuckled. "Upupupu… Nyahahaha! Ahahahahaha!"

Monokuma left with his sinister laugh, and another app automatically installed to my ElectroID. As it vibrated, I opened up the home page, and a new app was there waiting.

"Evidence Storage"

I tapped it, and looked at the Monokuma file. Well, that was a good place to start.

**==INVESTIGATION START!==**

_Soundtrack: Ikoroshia_

**== Monokuma File No. 1 has been added as ammunition. (1)**

KEIKO: Okay… so, what do we actually do?

MONOKUMA: [from the intercom] Well, you have to investigate! Find evidence! Be NCIS agents! Crack the murder!

YOSHINORI: Do we really have to do that?!

MONOKUMA: Of course! What? Deaf ears? Upupu!

KEIKO: …So, we have to gather evidence like they do in the movies?

KIREI: B-but… none of us has any experience with that…

NOAH: I do. I am a policeman.

TAKAYASHI: And what about you, Hikaru?

HIKARU: Excuse me?

TAKAYASHI: W-well, you are a prisoner, right? Don't you have experience with that kind of stuff?

HIKARU: …I will not answer to that.

TAKAYASHI: Hmm. Fine…

MICKY: Honey! Monokuma! I can't do any of this! Just get me outta here!

NOAH: You do not have to investigate if you do not want. However, I will need some help.

MIRAI: …Um, I can help.

NOAH: …Really, now?

MIRAI: …Yeah. I. Don't know. But I think I can.

RHYSSA: U-um, in my talk show, we had an NCIS segment, so, I have a tiny bit of experience. Yeah, I'll help too…

KEIKO: Me as well.

FURO: Why are we just asking who is helping who? We have to split up and investigate, dammit!

YAYOI: Y-you..! Why do you want us to split up, huh?! You want us to get killed?!

KIREI: P-please do not talk about death! Pretty please?!

FURO: I'm saying it's not smart..! We don't have forever to investigate, do we?!

NOAH: …This is true. I suppose it wouldn't be smart for a large group to investigate together.

NOAH: However, I recommend that we all split up into pairs or groups of three.

MIRAI: …No. I'll go alone.

HIKARU: That is not wise.

YOSHINORI: Yeah. What if the killer comes and kills you too?

MIRAI: I can defend myself.

MIRAI: …Bye.

[Mirai walked in a circle and crouched beside Hideki's body.]

RYOKO: Tch. Weirdo.

RYOKO: Anyways, I gotta admit, I'm not good with this kinda stuff…

RYOKO: But I'll do my best, I guess.

YOSHINORI: Don't slack off, you!

RYOKO: W-why you..! I don't slack off!

NOAH: T-that's enough, everyone.

NOAH: Anyways, I think it's safe to assume that the murder happened here, right?

FURO: That doesn't mean we shouldn't search other places…

MICKY: Y-yes! I will go search my dorm! What if a body is hidden there?!

TAKAYASHI: …Hmm…

MICKY: W-what?!

TAKAYASHI: You're acting very suspicious.

YOSHINORI: …You're right! He is!

MICKY: N-negative! Negatory! I will go and search my room for bodies..!

TAKAYASHI: Wait, aren't you a bodyguard?!

TAKAYASHI: You shouldn't be afraid of this stuff!

MICKY: …

MICKY: Oh fine, darling…

KEIKO: A-anyways, I'm going to start now.

NOAH: As will I.

[I walked away from the group and kneeled next to Mirai and investigated Hideki's body. Seeing his spilled guts still made me feel sick.]

KEIKO: Well, a good place to start is the murder weapon.

MIRAI: …This is the antique katana.

KEIKO: What?

MIRAI: A katana known as the _Daisho._ This katana is something like the symbol for samurais nowadays. It's amazing that it's here in this school…

KEIKO: Uh…Mirai?

MIRAI: …Just maybe. I. Don't know.

MIRAI: Maybe it's not.

KEIKO: …

[I don't know. I just don't know what to think about him…]

KEIKO: Anyways…

[Eww… Eww… taking the katana out of a dead body is even grosser than you might think, all things considering.]

KEIKO: It's soaked with blood..!

MIRAI: Yes, well, guts were spilled.

KEIKO: …Yeah, yeah you're right.

[Damn. Mirai is the one knocking sense into me. What has come over me, Jesus!]

**== Katana in Chest has been added as ammunition. (2)**

[Alright… anything else stands out here? Besides his guts?]

KEIKO: …Oh! …Oh, damn!

MIRAI: What is it?

KEIKO: There's a goddamn slit wound in his throat! What the heck was the murderer even thinking?!

MIRAI: …I. Don't know. But I'm surprised that this spilling of the guts was accompanied by a slash to the throat.

KEIKO: I like you better when you aren't talking about murder in such an extravagant fashion.

MIRAI: Oh, me too.

KEIKO: ...Okay, well, we agree on that I guess.

**== Throat Injury has been added as ammunition. (3)**

[Okay, well, that's the gist of what happened with his body…]

MIRAI: Ow!

KEIKO: W-what?

MIRAI: Look.

[He took his boots off..? God..! It's bleeding!]

KEIKO: Oh my God, what happened?

MIRAI: I stepped on glass. Ouch.

KEIKO: O-oh. W-well, do you want me to take it out?

MIRAI: I'm more concerned with why there's even glass on the floor.

KEIKO: Well, we can worry about that later. Right now, your foot needs to be like, bandaged or something.

KIREI: I-I have a bandage.

[How long was she standing there?!]

KIREI: Here.

[Okay, wrap it around… I'll look at the glass.]

KEIKO: …Hmm.

KIREI: U-um, if I may, I'd like to point out a crack in the aquarium case.

KEIKO: …Oh yeah. There's a crack in there alright. Wonder if Shougo knows where it came from.

MIRAI: But is the glass from the crack?

KEIKO: Yeah, probably not. It's not even a hole, it's just a small crack in the glass.

KIREI: T-there's also room for a sword to fit in it, though.

MIRAI: I guess there is..!

KIREI: …Oh! Did I help?

KEIKO: Yeah. Yeah, you did! Good job, Kirei!

KIREI: Y-yay! I was of service!

KEIKO: But then where did the glass shards come from?

MIRAI: …This piece of glass is suspicious.

[He's picking up… what looks like a bottom of a cup?]

MIRAI: Why is there a cup in this room though?

KEIKO: Maybe to feed the fish?

KIREI: B-but, I'm not sure it makes sense to be using a glass up for that… a small shot glass, maybe?

[That makes even less sense.]

KEIKO: …Maybe the glass shards from this cup were used to slice his throat?

MIRAI: …It makes sense. It's not easy to slice someone's throat with a katana without decapitating them.

KEIKO: I won't ask why you know that.

MIRAI: Oh, I don't know either, master. I just assumed since the blade is so long.

KEIKO: Right, right.

MIRAI: But I have a feeling that there's something else going on here.

MIRAI: I don't know why… Hmm… Hmm… HMMMMM…

[He's puffing up his cheeks…]

MIRAI: …I don't have anything.

KEIKO: Lame!

KEIKO: W-well, Kirei? You have anything?

KIREI: I think it makes sense that the cup was used to slit his throat…

KIREI: But… Eep..! Urgh! I have to clean it up..!

KEIKO: N-no! Kirei, it's valuable evidence!

KIREI: I know, I-I know! So, I'll just get out of here!

[She's running out holding her head. I guess she has a form of OCD, being a maid and all.]

MIRAI: …I'm going to think about these glass shards some more.

MIRAI: I would talk to Shougo if I were you, master.

KEIKO: Right… Good luck, then.

**== Crack in Aquarium was added as ammunition. (4)**

**== Glass Shards were added as ammunition. (5)**

…

[Shougo… he's wrapped up tightly in a ball. He must've seen a lot.]

SHOUGO: …Oh, Keiko. Hello…

KEIKO: I'm sorry to put you through this, but I wanted to know if you saw anything you could tell me.

SHOUGO: …No.

SHOUGO: I wasn't looking the whole time. I was too… uh, frightened.

KEIKO: I understand.

SHOUGO: But, I did notice that the lights were flickering on and off.

SHOUGO: Well, not flickering. More like… it turned on, and then turned off again.

KEIKO: How many times?

SHOUGO: It wasn't that much, which stood out to me. It only flickered around one time.

KEIKO: …I wonder why.

SHOUGO: …

SHOUGO: Look, Keiko… I can tell you this.

SHOUGO: I saw everything.

KEIKO: Huh?!

SHOUGO: But… Monokuma… he won't let me talk.

KEIKO: …Right.

KEIKO: Yeah, I get it. I guess you could be considered a valuable piece of evidence, or something.

KEIKO: Sorry, sounds like you're an object that way.

SHOUGO: its fine… but I didn't reveal much, but I hope that information helps somehow.

KEIKO: Anything will help. It's strange that the lights were flickering though. Do you think it was natural?

SHOUGO: No. The timing was too… erratic. Usual lights flicker rapidly, in my opinion. The pause was a little too long.

SHOUGO: Plus, it went from darkness, to light, to darkness again.

KEIKO: Huh. I wonder why.

SHOUGO: I'm sorry I can't tell you why…

KEIKO: That's okay…

SHOUGO: Good luck… Please catch the killer.

KEIKO: I will. Thank you.

[Poor Shougo. He couldn't even help when he wanted to, huh? That damn Monokuma.]

**== Shougo's Testimony has been added as ammunition. (6)**

**== Flickering Lights has been added as ammunition. (7)**

TAKAYASHI: Rawr! Roarroar!

KEIKO: Ack! Takayashi, you scared me..!

TAKAYASHI: But this is such a small room…

TAKAYASHI: Anyways, come!

KEIKO: What?

TAKAYASHI: Come! I found something!

KEIKO: What is it?

TAKAYASHI: Notice! Notice this!

[She's pointing at the katana case… wait, huh? Both swords are missing..! The case holds two katanas.]

TAKAYASHI: Look! It corresponds to the sword in Hideki, doesn't it?

KEIKO: But where's the second katana?

TAKAYASHI: …What now?

KEIKO: There should be a second katana here.

KEIKO: Look. It holds two swords, not one.

TAKAYASHI: …

TAKAYASHI: Damn it! And I thought I was on to something!

KEIKO: B-but you helped!

KEIKO: We know where the weapon came from, and we know that one sword was missing..!

TAKAYASHI: Hmm…

TAKAYASHI: Yeah. Yeah, I guess I did! Harumph! I'm good at this!

TAKAYASHI: Time to find the second sword!

[She's running off on her own..? I guess she's excited she found out something. Anyways, that's important. I should probably look for that second sword too.]

**== Katana Case has been added as ammunition. (8)**

**== Missing Second Sword has been added as ammunition. (9)**

HIKARU: Might I have your attention for a second?

KEIKO: Oh, Hikaru. Did you find something?

HIKARU: What do you make of this?

[He's… holding a SIM card?]

HIKARU: Also, I found an ElectroID on the floor as I entered the room.

HIKARU: Do you think this SIM card belongs to the ElectroID at all?

KEIKO: …I guess.

KEIKO: Does that mean that we can switch ElectroIDs?

HIKARU: What do you mean?

KEIKO: A SIM card works like a flash drive for phones in a way, I think.

KEIKO: My information pops up from my ElectroID with my SIM card.

KEIKO: What if we put that SIM card in my ElectroID?

HIKARU: …Hmm, shall we test it out?

KEIKO: …Yeah!

KEIKO: It should lead to the murderer, right?

HIKARU: It may.

HIKARU: That seems plausible.

KEIKO: Alright, let's do it.

…

…

…

…_**Beep! **_

KEIKO: What the..?

…_**Sorry! Not compatible with this device!**_

KEIKO: Damn. I guess it doesn't work.

HIKARU: Perhaps we should put it in the ElectroID I found on the ground?

KEIKO: Yeah, that should work. If the ElectroID was dropped in any way, this SIM card could belong to that ElectroID.

HIKARU: …Wait a minute.

HIKARU: …What is this?!

KEIKO: What?

HIKARU: The ElectroID is missing!

KEIKO: What?!

HIKARU: Someone took it while we were looking away!

KEIKO: But it could've been anyone here!

HIKARU: …

KEIKO: What are we going to do? The killer probably disposed of the ElectroID somewhere.

HIKARU: …I'm sorry. I should have taken it with me as well.

KEIKO: Don't blame yourself… either way, we should find that ElectroID.

HIKARU: Yes. I agree.

**== SIM Card has been added as ammunition. (10)**

**== Missing ElectroID has been added as ammunition. (11)**

KEIKO: Let's go. I have an idea of where the killer might have put the ElectroID.

…

_**Location: Cafeteria | Time: 1:45 AM | Chapter One | 43 Days Left**_

NOAH: Oh, it's you Keiko.

KEIKO: Noah… did you come here to check for the ElectroID too?

NOAH: What ElectroID?

HIKARU: An ElectroID is missing. I found it at the scene of the crime, and I believe it belongs to this SIM card.

NOAH: …You didn't move it, did you?

HIKARU: Why would I move an ElectroID?

NOAH: …

NOAH: Anyways, no, I did not know of an ElectroID. I came instead to see if the katana was put here.

KEIKO: What makes you think the katana is in the cafeteria?

NOAH: I was walking last night, and I heard a noise that seemed like something was exploding.

NOAH: I didn't suspect much of it last night, as I was tired.

NOAH: However, now that the second katana from that room is missing, I had a hunch.

NOAH: What if the killer disposed of the second katana into this hole here?

[…Hey! There are skid marks of blood around the hole!]

NOAH: Yes. You noticed them too.

NOAH: Marks of blood, suggesting that the villain was panicking while disposing of this weapon.

HIKARU: There are also slight cracks around the hole as well.

NOAH: That might be a result from the panicking villain as well.

NOAH: The killer might have been stabbing the katana into the hole instead of dropping it.

NOAH: As a result, there is blood around the hole and cracks around it as well.

KEIKO: …

KEIKO: Why were you walking around last night anyways?

NOAH: No reason. I felt like taking a walk, as all.

KEIKO: Okay…

NOAH: Do not suspect me. I would never take a life.

KEIKO: I know. I think.

NOAH: Good.

NOAH: Anyways, that's my speculation. I'm sure the missing weapon will be an important part of this trial.

KEIKO: Yeah.

**== Blood around Hole has been added as ammunition. (12)**

**== Cracks around Hole has been added as ammunition. (13)**

**== Location of Second Katana has been added as ammunition. (14)**

NOAH: Now the question is, the location of that second ElectroID.

NOAH: A smart way to catch the killer would be to confront them about the ElectroID in the trial.

NOAH: If the ElectroID was disposed of, then the person missing their ElectroID would not have it in their possession, correct?

HIKARU: True. Then we can start the trial right off the bat with searching for their ElectroID.

KEIKO: Then we catch the killer..!

NOAH: …I have to admit, I am a bit disappointed. All this investigation for nothing.

KEIKO: Woah, you shouldn't be disappointed. You should be happy that we can end this so soon.

NOAH: I suppose so.

NOAH: I am a policeman though, so this kind of stuff runs through my blood.

KEIKO: …I guess so.

[I'm still a little wary of Noah, but it's clear right now HE didn't do it. I can't believe it'll be that easy though. I'm a little surprised.]

_*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*_

"_Attention, you guys! Investigation time is not over! We shall be commencing our trial shortly, so please head to the Entry Plaza!"_

The entry plaza? Why are we going there? Where is the trial going to be, exactly?

"We should make haste," Hikaru said. "The faster we get to the entry plaza and end this trial, the better."

"You're right," I said. "Let's hurry.

_Soundtrack: Re Despair – Syndrome_

_**Location: Entry Plaza | Time: 2:01 AM | Chapter One | 43 Days Left**_

The three of us gathered around at the entry plaza with the others. We were the last ones there. I guess since the cafeteria was farther away from the plaza than where Shougo was staying.

"Meow!" Meowykins exclaimed. "You guys haven't seen much of me lately, huh?"

"Shut it," Monokuma snapped. "I'm tired. It's 2:01 AM. I'm addicted to adrenaline so things like this won't last long for me."

"Sorry, meow," Meowykins whimpered.

We all looked at each other as Meowykins beckoned us into a porthole. Climbing in, I noticed it led to a submarine. The submarine was large enough to fit all of us surprisingly, and as Meowykins started, Monokuma entered wearing a sailor uniform.

As the submarine traveled to distances unknown, Monokuma was acting along the lines of a tour guide.

"On your right, you will notice a school of cute fishes heading to the coral reef, where sharks roam and eat them for dinner."

His commentary was slightly disturbing, so I tried to ignore it as I felt the submarine rise somewhere.

"Where are we going?" Yayoi asked. "T-this is uncomfortable..!"

"I was perfectly fine investigating in my room, thank you very much!" Micky yelled. "I would like to go back immediately! I don't want to participate in this trial!"

"Well, you're gonna," Monokuma said, forcing him. "Don't worry, it's a lot of fun..! Plus, you guys will have a front seat pass to my amazing punishment!"

As we pondered those words, the submarine made a beeping noise, and we surfaced to the top. Unknown of why we were taken to the surface and not somewhere underwater, Monokuma opened the hatch above us, and as we stepped out, something strange would await us.

_Soundtrack: Welcome to DANGAN Island!_

As we stepped out onto the bridge, I noticed that it led to an island.

An island.

The beaches were lined with chairs and desks that were arranged in a circle, and seemed to be where we would hold this trial.

"W-what is this?!" Takayashi yelped.

"An island?!" Kirei yelled. "But, what about Hope's Peak? Are we really that far away?"

"You know it," Monokuma said. "But c'mon! An island! It's pretty fun!"

I stared at Monokuma. He pushed us forward, and before we knew it, we were facing each other in a circle, ready to convict whoever ended Hideki's life.

"Are you ready?" Monokuma asked.

He slammed a gavel. Court was in session.

This class trial to live, or die.

_Continued in Chapter 1 Section V_

**(AN: Well I definitely rushed the end in order to transition to the class trial quicker, but I'll always do that at the end of investigations, so just a warning there.)**


	9. Chapter 1: Section 5 - Class Trial I

**(AN: For slight reference I won't reply to reviews during class trials. Just a preference for me. If you really want me to respond you can ask me to PM you back. **

**However, I wanted to warn you that daily updates are probably going to stop today, as school started up for me again, so I won't have much more free time like usual. Sorry about that…**

**Also, for the soundtrack, since this is a trial and reading sections will be considerably shorter before a soundtrack change, it's recommended that for here, you keep numerous tabs open with the soundtracks needed. The soundtracks used are:**

**+ Welcome to DANGAN Island**

**+ Re Trial Underground**

**+ BREAK! 2****nd**** Mix**

**+ Class Trial Dawn Edition – Volume Two**

**+ Class Trial FUTURE PART**

**+ Flashing Anagram**

**+ Repulsion! CROSS SWORDS!**

**+ Class Trial ODD EDITION**

**Thanks!)**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Welcome to DANGAN Island!_

MEOWYKINS: Meow! Instead of a certain pink wabbit, it'll be I that reminds you to save your game every so often!

MEOWYKINS: Oh… but you're reading a fanfiction, aren't you?

MEOWYKINS: Well, in that case, be sure to read in a good light, and don't stick your grubby face so close to the monitor, you hear me y'all?

MEOWYKINS: Meow! I'm so excited I can barely contain my excitement!

_Soundtrack: Re Trial Underground_

**CHAPTER ONE**

THE CLASS TRIAL

_Have you got your facts straight?_

:::1 | Monokuma File No. 1 | Review files again?

:::2 | Katana in Chest | The katana in Hideki's chest is soaked with blood.

:::3 | Throat Injury | A deep throat injury was found on

:::4 | Crack in Aquarium | A crack and a slit were found on the case of the aquarium.

:::5 | Glass Shards | Glass shards were found around Hideki's body; seemed to have come from a glass cup.

:::6 | Shougo's Testimony | Shougo is not allowed to reveal important information during the investigation and trial.

:::7 | Flickering Lights | Shougo recalls that the lights flickered from dark, bright, and then dark again.

:::8 | Katana Case | The case was in the room with Shougo, and harbored the murder weapon.

:::9 | Missing Second Sword | The second sword in the case was also missing.

:::10 | SIM Card | The SIM card belonging to an ElectroID has been found.

:::11 | Missing ElectroID | Hikaru claims to have seen an ElectroID to which he believes the SIM Card belongs to. However, the ElectroID was missing on sight.

:::12 | Blood Around Hole | Blood was found around the hole Mirai made.

:::13 | Cracks Around Hole | There were also cracks found around the hole.

:::14 | Location of Second Katana | Noah stipulates that the katana was disposed of using the hole.

…

**COURT IS NOW IN SESSION!**

…

_Soundtrack: Class Trial Dawn Edition – Volume Two_

MONOKUMA: Well then! Since this is your first class trial, let me lay out the law for you.

MONOKUMA: Reviewing from what I said last time…

TAKAYASHI: Woah! We're on an island! Totally cool!

KIREI: E-even I admit… it's peaceful being on the surface for once…

RYOKO: Damn, this fresh air rocks.

MEOWYKINS: Meow! We are _not_ doing this again!

MONOKUMA: You guys are a bit talkative today, aren't we?

MIRAI: Hmm… before we begin, can I ask something, Mr. Bear?

MONOKUMA: What is it, my ditsy airhead?

MIRAI: I just wanted to know...did one of us really kill Hideki?

MONOKUMA: Yup!

MONOKUMA: Hideki was brutally murdered by the hands of one of your fellow students!

MICKY: Oh dear, oh dear! I can't keep up with this..! My muscles are getting limp..!

KAITO: You definitely don't deserve to wear those muscles.

UNMEI: K-Kaito, I wouldn't be mean to him.

UNMEI: He got into here as a bodyguard…

MICKY: Oh, don't worry darling, I could never lay my hands on a female.

KAITO: …Um?

KAITO: I'm a male.

MICKY: …Oh.

MONOKUMA: Getting back on topic here…

MONOKUMA: During this trial, you will have to figure out who out of here is the culprit. Who killed Hideki Komiya?

MONOKUMA: Point your finger at the TRUE villain, and the villain will be punished, allowing you guys to live out your lives in the underwater school for as much time there is left until it turns into the next Titanic.

MONOKUMA: However, point your finger at the WRONG person, in turn, the HEROES will be punished, letting the villain leave the school, FREE and CLEAR!

MONOKUMA: Now, as this is your first school trial…

NOAH: We do not need a preface.

NOAH: In fact, I believe we can end this trial right here and now.

MONOKUMA: Oho? Is that so?

HIKARU: He is correct.

MONOKUMA: Ack! Plot twist! My fur heart can't bear with this!

MONOKUMA: How can a ghetto prisoner like you team up with the likes of a heroic policeman? I cannot fathom it! How about you, Meowykins?

MEOWYKINS: Meow! I cannot either, sir!

HIKARU: Besides the point that we… aren't of the same kin…

NOAH: …I'm not sure kin is of the right word here.

HIKARU: …We have discovered at the scene of the crime, there was a SIM Card on the floor, as well as an ElectroID.

KIREI: R-really? Then, whoever dropped it has to be the killer, right?!

FURO: Are you saying that a SIM Card popped out of the ElectroIDs when someone dropped it?

MONOKUMA: I equipped these bad boys with SIM Cards in order to house the apps I developed for it.

MONOKUMA: So if you drop it high enough, then it's possible for it to fall off.

HIKARU: Yes, well, the problem was that the ElectroID went missing soon after.

HIKARU: I believe while we were in all that commotion, someone took the ElectroID to the cafeteria and disposed of it there.

YAYOI: But wouldn't we notice if that were to happen?

NOAH: It's possible we didn't notice. I'm sure there were… lots of mute people at the time.

RHYSSA: But, why would they take it to the cafeteria?

YOSHINORI: Mirai made that disgusting hole in the middle of it, remember?

KAITO: The fruit… the apple of Eden… it was burned brutally in force that a certain bear provided.

UNMEI: Don't get all fancy with your words here…

UNMEI: Anyways, so, the killer dropped it in the water?

NOAH: It either would have sank, or rose to the top, depending on whether or not it floats.

NOAH: Indeed, either way, it would not have made it.

HIKARU: I believe if we force everyone to show their ElectroIDs right now, we will be able to pinpoint the murder without any conflict.  
YAYOI: Oh… I see!

YAYOI: Well, here's mine.

HIKARU: Good. So it is not Yayoi.

MICKY: Here's mine too, darling.

KEIKO: I have mine too, if you want to see it.

MIRAI: …Oh, I just remembered. I was holding mine when we got here.

HIKARU: And I believe Noah and I has our IDs in our possession as well?  
NOAH: Yes.

NOAH: So, who doesn't have it? Whoever doesn't present their ElectroIDs right now is the true culprit!

YOSHINORI: Um, hate to break it to you, but…

RYOKO: Yeah, I think everyone has their ElectroIDs.

NOAH: …Hmm?  
RYOKO: Everyone has them. So we can't convict the murder this way.

NOAH: …You are not kidding?

RYOKO: I don't kid around, bub!

RHYSSA: If… if no one has their ElectroID, then..!

FURO: Zip it, drama queen! We already said that.

FURO: Now we actually have to do this trial thing that Monokuma wants us to do, right?

MONOKUMA: Oh boy! And I actually thought that you were on to something there.

MONOKUMA: But alas, you guys fell short again!

MONOKUMA: Upupupu! That's hilarious..!

NOAH: Then how about this?

NOAH: We can insert the SIM Card into everyone's ElectroID.

NOAH: Should the killer have their ElectroID in their possession, instead of disposing it, anticipating that this would happen…

YAYOI: Then the SIM Card should match one of ours, right?

KIREI: H-here… you can try mine first. I-I want to get it over with.

NOAH: Okay.

NOAH: … …Hmm, it looks like you're in the clear.

KIREI: T-thank goodness…

YOSHINORI: Um, why do you seem relieved when you knew that you weren't the culprit?

YAYOI: Here, try mine next… I want to get it over with too.

NOAH: Alright.

NOAH: … …Looks like it's not you as well.

NOAH: And I'll try mine out right now… but obviously it's not me as well.

HIKARU: Would you like to try mine?  
NOAH: Yes.

NOAH: … …It's not you either.

[…Some time passes as Noah checks each and every ElectroID, but…]

NOAH: H-how is this possible?

KAITO: None of our ElectroIDs were compatible..!

NOAH: God… what's exactly going on then?!

MIRAI: I think maybe instead of going on your theory, now we should try and piece together a couple of things.

TAKAYASHI: Hmm? Like what?

MIRAI: Well, there were lots of weird things around the crime scene, don't you think?

MIRAI: Like that crack in the aquarium. It's just a little unnatural if you ask me.

KEIKO: That confused me, as well. There's no point for the killer to have made a crack like that, unless they tried to kill Shougo instead of Hideki.

SHOUGO: …

TAKAYASHI: Um, hey, Monokuma?

TAKAYASHI: Why is Shougo here if you didn't let him investigate?

UNMEI: Shouldn't you let him rest?

MONOKUMA: I am letting him rest! He's getting a front row seat in all things despair!

MONOKUMA: Best entertainment I could think of, to be frank.

SHOUGO: Yeah, well, it's not very fun…

MONOKUMA: Just stay silent, you.

NOAH: What if Hideki was murdered like this?

NOAH: The killer wished to kill Shougo, but Hideki was there instead.

NOAH: The killer then killed Hideki to shut him up, and left.

MIRAI: Impossible.

NOAH: Huh?

NOAH: What do you know, exactly?

MIRAI: …I. Don't know. I think it's not possible…

MIRAI: I mean, did Hideki back up into the aquarium? Did the killer stab and then miss?

MIRAI: No, it's unnatural, is what I'm saying.

MIRAI: Hmm… also, the killer would have noticed Shougo witnessed the whole thing then, right?

HIKARU: But Shougo is not allowed to participate extensively.

MIRAI: But would they have known that at the time?

KEIKO: Mirai is right. If I were the killer, I would have silenced the both of them.

KEIKO: We have to think like the killer here… why exactly was there a crack on the aquarium?

MIRAI: I think figuring that out might help us find out more information about the murder itself.

NOAH: Very well. So we stipulate on this, is that correct?

MIRAI: …Stip… Yoo… late? What does that mean?

YOSHINORI: How does he get so smart, and then so stupid just moments later?

TAKAYAHSI: Alright! Enough of that! Silence up everyone, we're starting this thing!

KEIKO: _The aquarium… that's closely linked to the murder itself, huh?_

KEIKO: _I guess it's time to figure out just exactly why!_

_You are about to read a Nonstop Debate. The Nonstop Debate is stylized in accordance to the game, and all contradictory terms will be __**bolded.**__ However, like always, there is only ONE STATEMENT that is false, and that statement will be surrounded by marks like this: __**"=." **__For example, a statement may look like this: __**==Murder weapon.==**__Please follow along, and do your best not to fall behind. Over and out._

* * *

_Soundtrack: BREAK! 2__nd__ Mix!_

**==PHASE ONE==**

_Nonstop Debate!_

_Usable Ammunition: _

_- Katana Case_

_- Missing Second Katana_

_- Flickering Lights_

_- Shougo's Testimony_

_- Glass Shards_

MIRAI: Hmm… why is there a crack like that in the aquarium I wonder…

NOAH: You proved it was not in an attempt to subdue Hideki… Why indeed?

RYOKO: Shougo… you know why?

SHOUGO: I'm not allowed to talk.

TAKAYASHI: Yah! I have an idea!

TAKAYASHI: The crack came from Hideki!

YAYOI: What do you mean?

TAKAYASHI: The killer backed him into the wall…

TAKAYASHI: == **And then bashed his head into the aquarium!==**

KEIKO: **You've got that wrong!**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

KEIKO: No, it shouldn't have been because his head was bashed in or anything.

TAKAYASHI: Eh? Why not?

KEIKO: It's simple… if his head was bashed into the aquarium…

KEIKO: Then what's the point of the slit on the case?

TAKAYASHI: A slit?

MIRAI: A slit that's big enough, roughly for the size of… say a **katana?**

YAYOI: A katana?!

YAYOI: Y-you mean the murder weapon?!

MICKY: B-but, honey… If the katana was the murder weapon…

MICKY: What was the point of stabbing it into the aquarium?

KEIKO: …That's a good question.

KEIKO: The only plausible thing I can think of right now is that Hideki was at the aquarium.

KEIKO: Then Hideki dodged out of the way, and the katana created that slit, as well as the cracks.

RHYSSA: Wait a minute! That sounds strange though.

NOAH: What's so strange about it?

RHYSSA: …Why would Hideki even be NEAR the aquarium then?

RHYSSA: There would be almost no reason to be with him, right?

SHOUGO: I'm sorry… I can't tell you that much.

SHOUGO: I wish I could help.

NOAH: She brings up a good point, though.

NOAH: Why did Hideki go near Shougo in the first place?

NOAH: If we don't answer that, I'm afraid I won't feel at rest with this case.

MIRAI: Hmm…

MIRAI: I. Don't know.

RYOKO: Since when that turn into a freaking catchphrase?!

MIRAI: But… I think maybe the second katana has to do with it. Somehow. Maybe?

KEIKO: The second katana..?

FURO: How would a second katana relate to this in any way?

FURO: Was there _even_ a second katana to start?!

NOAH: Of course there was.

NOAH: In the katana case, there were slots to hold two katana swords.

NOAH: However, both of them were missing.

YOSHINORI: Are we sure that the second katana is related to this case though?

YOSHINORI: What if it disappeared before this case even started?

NOAH: That… would be a possibility, if it wasn't for another piece of evidence that makes me suspect otherwise.

YOSHINORI: More evidence?

YOSHINORI: The murder took place outside of Shougo's room too..?!

KEIKO: _The second piece of evidence that proves that the second katana is related to this case…_

KEIKO: _Here we go!_ _I can prove it!_

_A new element has been added to the Nonstop Debate. This time, there will be points that Keiko can agree with herself, instead of it being contradictory. These terms will be __**italicized and bolded.**__ However, there can only be one true statement to agree with. These agreements will also be surrounded by equal marks. With this new addition, we get even closer to the truth. Over and out._

* * *

_Soundtrack: BREAK! 2__nd__ Mix!_

**==PHASE TWO==**

_Nonstop Debate!_

_Usable Ammunition: _

- _Blood Around Hole_

_- Missing ElectroID_

_- Cracks Around Hole_

_- Location of Second Katana_

_- Katana in Chest_

YOSHINORI: How can we even be sure that the second katana is related to this case?

NOAH: It is just mere speculation, I will admit.

NOAH: However, ==_**there is a special piece of evidence that corresponds with my theory.==**_

RYOKO: And what evidence is this?

RYOKO: I don't see anything here worth incriminating, do you?

KAITO: _**We couldn't even find it. I'm sure it isn't related.**_

KEIKO: **I concur!**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

KEIKO: Yes! There actually is evidence to support Noah's claim.

YOSHINORI: A-and what's that?

MICKY: A ray of love..!

KEIKO: …No.

KEIKO: If you took another look at the hole at the cafeteria…

FURO: The one Mirai made..?

KEIKO: Yes.

KEIKO: There is blood around the hole, and excessive cracks. But why?

TAKAYASHI: Maybe someone tripped?

NOAH: That may be the case.

NOAH: However, my speculation was…

NOAH: The killer panicked after killing Hideki, and rushes to dispose of the second katana.

NOAH: Thinking of a good place where it couldn't be retrieved, she heads to the cafeteria where Mirai made his infamous hole.

NOAH: The killer then stuffed the katana into the hole, and it floated to the top, or sank to the bottom.

TAKAYASHI: …Yeah, that… makes a little sense.

MICKY: Darling, darling, that assumes that both katanas were used in this case.

MIRAI: …I think it was.

MICKY: Hubababa?!

KEIKO: W-what do you mean?

KEIKO: Why would the killer wield two katanas?

MIRAI: …Hmm, I don't think it was the _killer_ that was holding both katanas.

MIRAI: No, I think Hideki was probably holding one too… right? Maybe?

FURO: Hideki?! Why would that son of a bitch need to hold a katana anyways?

RYOKO: Obviously to defend himself!

MIRAI: Nope.

RYOKO: Eh?!

MIRAI: There's evidence too, right master?

KEIKO: Uh… who are you talking to?

MIRAI: You.

MIRAI: You know that there's evidence that proves I'm right.

KEIKO: Uh, right. _But why me?_

_**PRESENT YOUR EVIDENCE: **_

_Cracks Around Hole_

_**Glass Shards**_

_Flickering Lights_

KEIKO:** This proves it!**

KEIKO: There were glass shards found around Hideki's body. Is that what you're talking about, Mirai?

MIRAI: …I think so.

MICKY: Are you sure or unsure?!

HIKARU: Why would glass shards prove that our theory is wrong?

HIKARU: Say that Hideki rushed to the katanas to grab a sword to defend himself.

HIKARU: However, the killer overpowered him and backed him into the aquarium.

NOAH: He knocked over the glass cup after being knocked back… is that what you are saying?

HIKARU: That makes both of our theories true.

HIKARU: He went to get a katana to defend himself, but was knocked into the aquarium.

HIKARU: It explains the presence of both katanas, and it explains the glass shards as well.

MIRAI: …You might be right… and yet, you might be wrong too.

HIKARU: And how am I wrong?

MIRAI: Think back to the slit in the aquarium.

MIRAI: Why do you exactly think that the slit exists in the first place?

MIRAI: It's obvious it has something to do with this murder, unless Monokuma likes stabbing glass aquariums.

MIRAI: …I made a joke.

YOSHINORI: Maybe it was to give Shougo some air?

MIRAI: But a slit that small?

MIRAI: Numerous slits would make your theory right… probably.

MIRAI: But a slit that small wouldn't let air circulate. So your theory is… probably not right.

NOAH: Then what do you propose that the slit is for, Mirai?

MIRAI: …Hmm.

MIRAI: …Hmm!

MIRAI: …HMM!

MIRAI: Oops. I forgot.

MICKY: Are you kidding me?!

RHYSSA: But you were on such a streak, Mirai..!

KEIKO: Then I guess that's what we talk about next?

KEIKO: Why was there a slit in the aquarium..?

NOAH: I cannot think of a reason.

NOAH: However, I suppose that this matter should be cleared up.

_In this Nonstop Debate, there will be phrases that can be used as ammunition, when the ammunition given does not suffice as evidence. These phrases will be underlined, and then the correct contradictory or correct phrase will be formatted as normal. I hope this helps lead you to the truth. Over and out._

* * *

_Soundtrack: BREAK! 2__nd__ Mix!_

**==PHASE THREE==**

_Nonstop Debate!_

_Usable Ammunition:_

_- Monokuma File No. 1_

_- Katana in Chest_

_- Katana Case_

_- Glass Shards_

_- Missing ElectroID_

NOAH: Why would there be a slit in the aquarium?

NOAH: This brings up an important question.

HIKARU: It should also bring some light onto the existence of both the swords.

MIRAI: Maybe… we got the timeline mixed up?

RYOKO: The timeline?

MIRAI: **Let's say that Hideki got the sword before** the killer.

MIRAI: Then what?

FURO: That's stupid..!

FURO: There's not even a reason for Hideki to have the sword..!

TAKAYASHI: Yeah..!

TAKAYASHI: **==Not like he meant to kill..!**==

KEIKO: **You've got that wrong!**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

KEIKO: Takayashi, what you just said gave me an idea.

KEIKO: A crazy one that I don't want to think about… but it's the only logical explanation!

SHOUGO: …

TAKAYASHI: Oh! I did that?

TAKAYASHI: Go me!

NOAH: What is your theory, Keiko?

KEIKO: The reason that Hideki entered the room.

KEIKO: That's the reason that there's a slit on the aquarium!

MICKY: Um, I don't follow you sweetie.

UNMEI: Are you saying…

UNMEI: That Hideki **meant to kill?!**

KIREI: Ehhhhhh?!

KIREI: B-but Hideki-sama wouldn't try and kill anyone!

KIREI: …But I think that about everyone else here..!

KIREI: This is terrible..! A-ahh!

YAYOI: Wait a minute..! Back up for a second..!

YAYOI: Are you saying that Hideki wanted to kill Shougo?!

KEIKO: It could also explain why the killer entered the room in the first place as well!

MIRAI: Hmm… let's say that one of us heard the screams of Shougo after an attempted murder.

MIRAI: Then we would surely go into his room, right?

FURO: Wait a minute, you aren't suggesting that Hideki missed, are you?!

KEIKO: He probably panicked, and Shougo was able to dodge.

KEIKO: Either way, even if there wasn't a second slit...

KEIKO: He could just stab the same place over and over again.

RYOKO: Wait a minute..! Just back up!

RYOKO: Whatever happened to trying to find out who killed Hideki?!

RYOKO: You saying he killed himself? I don't follow you at all!

KEIKO: No..! The killer entered the room, thinking to stop the killer.

KEIKO: But whoever the killer was… there was a katana case right at the door waiting!

HIKARU: Yes. The case is in fact near the door…

HIKARU: It should be fairly easy for the killer to grab ahold of a weapon, should this theory be true.

RYOKO: No way..! Hideki wanted to kill Shougo first?!

SHOUGO: W-would that even count as a murder..?

MONOKUMA: Well, technically, you are a student at my school.

MONOKUMA: So that would surely indict a murder! Upupupu, that was smart of Hideki!

MONOKUMA: Unfortunately… he got the short straw, didn't he?!

MONOKUMA: Nyahaha!

RYOKO: Jesus Christ..! No way..!

NOAH: However, at this point, there is something I do not understand.

KEIKO: What is it?

NOAH: The ElectroID.

NOAH: So far, we can assume that the ElectroID belongs to the killer.

NOAH: When was it dropped? How does it relate to the case?

NOAH: I doubt that if the killer just had to charge in and kill Hideki…

NOAH: No, it's certain. The ElectroID would NOT have been dropped that way.

YAYOI: So how was it dropped..?

YAYOI: Did the killer throw it maybe..?

RYOKO: Why the hell would the killer do that?

MIRAI: I think this answer can't be solved through any of our evidence.

MIRAI: Instead, we have to rely on our common sense!

FURO: Alright, well, we can't trust you then, Mirai.

MIRAI: …I have common sense. *puffs up cheeks*

FURO: The reason why the ElectroID was dropped, huh?

KEIKO: _I… have a faint idea._

KEIKO: _It's on the tip of my tongue, too._

_You are about to read an Epiphany Anagram. This is an interactive game with the readers: can you solve the word before Keiko? Letters will be filled in numerous blanks, and it is your job to figure out what the word is to advance the case. Over and out._

* * *

_Soundtrack: Flashing Anagram_

**==PHASE FOUR==**

_Epiphany Anagram!_

_/_/_/_/_/_/

…

…

…

_/_/T/_/_/_/

…

…

…

A/_/T/_/_/_/

…

…

…

A/_/T/A/_/_/

…

…

…

A/_/T/A_/K/

…

…

…

A/T/T/A/_/K/

…

…

…

A/T/T/A/C/K

**ATTACK!**

KEIKO: **This is it!**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

KEIKO: Hideki… he must have attacked first.

NOAH: He attacked first..?

NOAH: Does that mean that the killer had the ElectroID in his or her hand?

KEIKO: Yeah… that's the only explanation.

KEIKO: Either that, or the killer was backed up into the wall, and it fell out naturally.

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial ODD EDITION_

YAYOI: **I'll ****hack**** your idea to the brink!**

**(AN: pun intended.)**

YAYOI: K-Keiko… no offense…

YAYOI: But your claim doesn't match up!

KEIKO: W-why not..?

KEIKO: What's wrong about it?

YAYOI: There's no reason for the killer to have held up the ElectroID!

YAYOI: And I doubt it fell out naturally.

KEIKO: W-wait a minute, if you doubt things…

YAYOI: I know I'm right! Why wouldn't I be?

KEIKO: _I guess she does bring up a good point._

KEIKO: _But I'm on the right track. I can feel it!_

_Oh? Yayoi interrupted Keiko? I've made this tutorial before, but my, my, weren't you surprised? I know I was. Psych. As Yayoi interrupted Keiko, it's time for a 1v1 battle of logic. Who will win, and who is right in the end? You can take sides yourself, but know only one is correct. Over and out._

* * *

_Soundtrack: Repulsion! CROSS SWORDS!_

**==PHASE FIVE==**

_Cross Swords Battle!_

_Usable Swords:  
- Missing ElectroID_

_- SIM Card_

_- Flickering Lights_

_You're wrong!==/==There's no reason that the killer had an ElectroID!_

_Tell m==/==e why the killer would have their ID on them then!_

_D-don==/=='t hate me for this!_

_But I know that ==/==I'm onto something!_

_I==/=='m right! There's no evidence to prove it at all!_

_**DEVELOPMENT**_

_../../../../../../../_

KEIKO: Are you certain? There's some evidence that proves that I'm right.

_Oh yeah?==/==Then show me!_

_You==/==have no evidence!_

_**You're wrong! There's no reason that the killer had their ID out with them!**_

KEIKO: **I'll cut that claim into pieces!**

**(AN: love that line.)**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

KEIKO: There's an obvious reason why the killer had their ID out with them!

YAYOI: A-and what is it, huh?!

YAYOI: You hate me for this, HUH?!

KEIKO: …That is way off topic, and not true!

KEIKO: Look, Shougo told me that the lights were flickering on and off.

KEIKO: Does that ring any bells to you?  
YAYOI: …

YAYOI: Are you saying…

YAYOI: The killer used their ID as a flashlight?!

MIRAI: Hmm, that makes sense.

MIRAI: The room probably was pitch dark. Not very effective if someone saw Hideki attempting murder in the bright open space.

KEIKO: The killer had to use their ID as a flashlight. Otherwise, there would be no way to see in the darkness.

KEIKO: The darkness also could explain why Hideki missed Shougo. He couldn't get a clear aim at all.

KEIKO: Then, as a result, Hideki saw the flash, and charged towards the killer.

MIRAI: We can only assume that the killer dodged, but dropped her ElectroID then.

NOAH: And then the SIM Card popped out, correct?

MONOKUMA: Yeah, I won't glorify it. The SIM Card cases for these things are real weak.

MONOKUMA: Only cause I spent so much time trying to make the IDs themselves really durable.

MONOKUMA: Upupupu, my bad!

NOAH: Well, that explains the mystery of the ElectroID.

NOAH: But there are two other things that are not completely cleared up yet.

NOAH: First off, the disappearance of the ElectroID…

NOAH: And the fact that none of the IDs matched up with that SIM Card.

KEIKO: There's one thing I find strange too.

KEIKO: Why were the flights flickering on and off?

NOAH: What do you mean?

KEIKO: The killer turned on the lights after the ID dropped. Sure, but…

KEIKO: What was the point of turning it off again?

HIKARU: You're right… it does seem rather erratic, doesn't it?

MONOKUMA: Upupupu, it sure does, but…

_Soundtrack: Welcome to DANGAN Island!_

MONOKUMA: We're going to have to call a recess here!

KEIKO: A…recess?

MONOKUMA: You know! It court trials, there's always like a five minute recess to gather your facts and charge up again!

MONOKUMA: Upupupu, you should be happy that I'm giving you this opportunity to relax and enjoy yourselves!

MONOKUMA: Nyahahaha!

MONOKUMA: Enjoy your recess guys!

MEOWYKINS: Meow! And for y'all at home, can you guess who the murderer is?

_Continued in Chapter 1 Section VI _

**(AN: cutting off that trial short because Monokuma is Monokuma and he does stuff like that.)**


	10. Chapter 1: Section 6 - Class Trial II

**(AN: List of additional soundtracks you need for this chapter, including the list from last chapter:**

**+ Monokuma Sensei's Lesson**

**+ DIVE DRIVE**

**+ Deadman Wonderland Track 5. DW28A**

**There are a few aesthetic changes to the trial that are hardly noticeable, and I'd like to mention on how terrible I feel for MISSING THE CORPSE DISCOVERY ANNOUNCEMENT! I MEAN HOW COULD I DO THAT! D: ) **

* * *

_Soundtrack: Welcome to DANGAN Island!_

MEOWYKINS: Oh! Oh! Heartbreak! Heartbreak!

MEOWYKINS: It was revealed that Hideki tried to double-cross y'all!

MEOWYKINS: He was trying to kill Shougo, but whoever killed him caught him in the act!

MEOWYKINS: Meow! It gets me so excited!

MEOWYKINS: Remember to read in a good light, and enjoy this adrenaline rush!

**COURT IS BACK IN SESSION**

_Soundtrack: Class Trial Dawn Edition – Volume Two_

MONOKUMA: Welcome! Hi! Court is back in session!

MONOKUMA: As a recap, you guys were left off talking about the ElectroID! How important that was!

MONOKUMA: Upupupu, and why were the lights flickering on and off too?

MONOKUMA: Nyahahaha! What an exciting conclusion to this trial!

KEIKO: So… anyone have any ideas for us?

MIRAI: …Hmm.

MIRAI: I'm trying to think of how the ElectroID could have disappeared…

MIRAI: But nope. I came up with nothing.

NOAH: If I recall, this is how we perceived the murder to have happened so far.

NOAH: Hideki went into Shougo's room in the darkness to try and kill him.

NOAH: The killer walked in with the ElectroID as a flashlight.

NOAH: However, the ID was dropped, after Hideki charged for the killer, still missing.

TAKAYASHI: Ha! That guy has some bad aim, huh?

KIREI: T-Takayashi, I don't think it's very kind for us to make fun of him after death…

TAKAYASHI: Uh?! But he failed to kill people twice? You think those people are cool?!

KIREI: …I-I'm sorry!

FURO: Seriously though, stop spewing sick shit, let's just continue…

FURO: After the ID was dropped, the killer attacked Hideki.

FURO: Hideki was backed into the wall and killed, right?

MIRAI: I think that this portion of the mystery just involves some common sense.

MIRAI: One thing is obviously clear, right? The killer was backed into the wall by Hideki.

MIRAI: That's why he or she dropped his or her ID.

HIKARU: Indeed… that is what we have come up with so far.

MICKY: So… what exactly does that mean?

MICKY: Ah! I need to be in a spa paradise right now..!

MICKY: Treatment from my head to toe! That would be so delightful..!

YAYOI: Y-you shut up, you creep..!

YAYOI: A-anyways, so, what's the point of the flickering lights then?

SHOUGO: …If I may, I only saw them flicker once…

SHOUGO: From light, then to dark. I think I exaggerated a bit when I said that they were "flickering."

KEIKO: …But even still, that doesn't change much, does it?

MIRAI: I wonder why.

MIRAI: Hmm… Hmm… Ham…

UNMEI: Um, ham?

UNMEI: W-well, I've been thinking to solve this problem that we have…

KAITO: Oh! Unmei has an idea! She's a problem solver, she can't fail us!

UNMEI: Y-you shut up! I still think you're a pervert!

KAITO: But I'm not..!

MICKY: Oh honey, you definitely are.

KAITO: Then what are you..?!

MICKY: Oh, me? I'm a Capricorn, but thanks for asking.

KAITO: That definitely isn't what I meant!

YOSHINORI: Guys, let's listen to what Unmei has to say!

UNMEI: Um, well, actually, it's just a little obvious.

RHYSSA: Well, if it's obvious, then say it…

UNMEI: …The lights were out when the killer was attacked, right?

UNMEI: So, how could the killer see Hideki attacking when the killer dropped the ID?

RHYSSA: Oh! The killer had no source of light!

KEIKO: That is obvious… I wonder why we didn't think of that.

MIRAI: …Yeah.

MIRAI: So the lights turned on because the killer wanted to kill Hideki, or at least defend him or herself…

MIRAI: So I wonder why… I wonder why the killer turned the lights back off?

UNMEI: O-oh.

UNMEI: Well, the killer probably just panicked and turned it off.

UNMEI: They wanted to conceal the fact that they had killed Hideki and ran off.

KAITO: But… all the killer had to do was close the door…

KAITO: I guess the only plausible answer is that the killer panicked. Even though I doubt it.

NOAH: It is… undoubtable. The killer turned on the lights to attack Hideki.

NOAH: However, for some reason, something made the killer turn them off again.

NOAH: I doubt that this path of reasoning would actually help us identify the killer though.

YAYOI: Why not?

NOAH: If we find out why the lights were flickering…

NOAH: No, it definitely wouldn't help us.

NOAH: How could we identify someone with that?

MIRAI: …Hmm. I think it's possible.

NOAH: Excuse me? And how is that?

NOAH: We need some sort of clue. We need fingerprints. We need video tapes. We need witnesses.

NOAH: Without those, our case is just emptied water.

NOAH: Tell me how we're going to identify the killer without knowing anything else except that they, "flickered the lights."

MIRAI: …

MIRAI: I think… maybe…

MIRAI: …

MIRAI: Either way, it doesn't hurt to try and solve this mystery, right?

HIKARU: If Mirai believes that this path of reasoning would lead us to the killer…

HIKARU: Perhaps we could try it, just in case..?

NOAH: …

NOAH: Alright.

NOAH: I don't see why though, to be honest…

TAKAYASHI: Hmm…

TAKAYASHI: Mr. Policeman, you're acting _very _suspicious, aren't you?

NOAH: Pardon? How so?

KAITO: Ignore her, Noah. Her love is leading to her true blindness and insecurity…

UNMEI: Now's not the time for one of your famous proverbs!

NOAH: Anyways, we shall continue our trial with this.

NOAH: We think that the flickering lights have to do with something important with the killer.

NOAH: While I think that this path of reasoning us useless…

MICKY: Seriously honey. Not everything is useless.

MICKY: For example –

YAYOI: We don't want to hear it!

YAYOI: D-don't hate me guys, but I agree with Noah.

YAYOI: I'd rather get this over with than stay here…

MONOKUMA: Hmm? But this is a beach?

MONOKUMA: So peaceful, you know?

KIREI: I-I agree as well…

MIRAI: But you're forgetting. This has something to do with our lives itself.

MIRAI: We need to figure this out… I think. Just in case.

YAYOI: …Oh, alright.

YAYOI: Let's do it then and get this trial over with as fast as we can…

* * *

_Soundtrack: BREAK! 2__nd__ Mix_

**==PHASE SIX==**

_Nonstop Debate!_

_Usable Ammunition:_

_- Shougo's Testimony_

_- Flickering Lights_

_- Katana in Chest_

_- Throat Injury_

_- Cracks Around Hole_

YAYOI: Can we really find out who the murderer is just by finding out why the killer flickered the lights..?

NOAH: I doubt it. The possibility is very low.

MIRAI: …Hmm, Noah… You said that…

MIRAI: For a case…

MIRAI: You need these three things.

MIRAI: **Evidence…**

MIRAI: **A recording…**

MIRAI: **And a witness.**

MIRAI: Do we have any of those?

NOAH: Obviously not.

NOAH: There's nothing we can use. ==**Nothing you mentioned exists.==**

KEIKO: _**You've got that wrong!**_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

KEIKO: You're wrong Noah.

KEIKO: There's been a witness here this whole time..!

NOAH: What? Who?

NOAH: If you are talking about Shougo…

SHOUGO: Huh?

NOAH: He is not allowed to reveal important information.

NOAH: So what are you suggesting we do with Shougo's, "witnessing?"

MIRAI: Well, for one thing, we did solve why the killer turned off the lights after turning them on.

HIKARU: How did we do that exactly?

MIRAI: …I forgot.

HIKARU: …Yes, well, that's normal for you.

HIKARU: Keiko, do you know?

_**ANSWER THE QUESTION **_

- Because the killer didn't want to get sunburned.

- **Because the killer didn't want any witnesses.**

- Because the killer wanted to faze Hideki.

KEIKO: _**This is it!**_

KEIKO: Because the killer didn't want any witnesses, obviously.

RHYSSA: O-oh!

RHYSSA: Yeah, you're right!

RHYSSA: No one knew at the time that Shougo wouldn't be allowed to participate in the trial.

RHYSSA: The killer must have thought that Shougo would be dangerous in the court.

YAYOI: But then why didn't the killer kill off Shougo too..?

MIRAI: I believe the killer was abiding to the rules.

MONOKUMA: Ooh? We came up to the rules now, huh?

MONOKUMA: But Mirai, there's no such rule saying that you can't kill more than one student.

MONOKUMA: So what are you talking about?

MIRAI: More like… maybe. The killer maybe… assumed? Assumed that he or she couldn't kill two people?

SHOUGO: But the killer could have made a loophole.

SHOUGO: …I know what loopholes are about.

SHOUGO: The killer could have tried to kill me.

SHOUGO: But why didn't the killer? There was a very clear loophole that _could_ be made.

NOAH: Yes. All the killer had to do was explain to Monokuma that it wasn't directly written in the rules.

MIRAI: …The killer probably was afraid to pursue that.

MIRAI: All the killer had to do was kill one person.

KEIKO: And the killer did just that.

KEIKO: Whoever did it killed Hideki…

KEIKO: Even if Hideki tried to kill Shougo, I can't forgive the killer..!

MONOKUMA: Yawn, yawn! Don't bring in points of friendship.

MONOKUMA: I've already heard enough of THAT back at the island, when those kids were all boohoo about eliminating that gamer girl.

MONOKUMA: This is getting boring..! You guys are talking about REALLY boring things right now!

KAITO: This is not your trial.

MONOKUMA: …Meep?

UNMEI: Wow. Kaito said something… slightly cool? Or I guess it was more of the tone of his voice.

KAITO: …Oh, uh… T-thanks, Unmei.

UNMEI: And he's back to his lame self. How can a word twister stutter words like that?

KAITO: S-shut up!

NOAH: If I may bring us back on topic…

NOAH: I suppose that Keiko is correct on why the killer turned off the lights.

NOAH: However, that doesn't change the fact that Shougo cannot tell us anything.

NOAH: What are we supposed to do in this retrospect?

YAYOI: …

YAYOI: Ah! I got it!

SHOUGO: What?

YAYOI: Shougo, you're… an expert at loopholes?

YAYOI: I don't really know why…

YAYOI: But Monokuma said that you couldn't reveal any _important _information!

MONOKUMA: …

MONOKUMA: Upupupu… Keiko is a lot cleverer than she seems, I see…

MONOKUMA: Interesting. Go for it, Keiko..!

KEIKO: Oh! Yayoi! You're right!

KEIKO: Shougo! Can you find a way to give us hints about the killer? Did you see who did it?

SHOUGO: …

SHOUGO: Um…

SHOUGO: It's really hard to give it away without blatantly revealing it. Obviously, that would count as important information.

SHOUGO: Maybe you can let me think about it. If you talk your way to the answer, that's great… but I have to think about it.

NOAH: …I see.

NOAH: So while Shougo thinks about how to tell us the identity of the killer…

NOAH: Perhaps we should talk about something else.

MIRAI: …

MIRAI: Oh. Wait, I realized something.

MIRAI: Hmm…

_Soundtrack: Monokuma Sensei's Lesson_

MIRAI: We could have been wrong about this whole thing.

NOAH: …

NOAH: …Did I hear that correctly?

NOAH: You, who has been leading us this whole case, thinks that we could be wrong?

KIREI: H-haha… Good one, Mirai… you make good jokes.

MIRAI: But it's not a joke…

KIREI: A-ah! Okay, okay..!

MIRAI: See, in all this ensuing chaos about the lights and the cup…

MIRAI: …

MIRAI: I want some water.

KEIKO: Don't just stop there..! Keep going!

MIRAI: Okay master.

MIRAI: In this ensuing chaos, we forgot about one really important thing about the body.

NOAH: …About the body?

MICKY: Um, sweetie, he was stabbed.

MICKY: Done and done, right?

MIRAI: No, no, no! We forgot something..!

HIKARU: Please do not throw a tantrum.

HIKARU: Instead, all you have to do is remind us why we can be incorrect.

MIRAI: …

MIRAI: …Master? Master Keiko?

KEIKO: …Me?

MIRAI: Do you remember something about the body?

KEIKO: Why me?!

MIRAI: …I… I forgot.

ALL: What the fuck?!

NOAH: Let us just ignore Mirai in this case.

MIRAI: …B-but…

MIRAI: I know I was right… I think.

KEIKO: …_I remember SOMETHING about the body that we didn't mention._

KEIKO: _But I don't really see how it concerns this case._

KEIKO: _Can this evidence really derail our trial like that? Because if it can… we're in a little bit of trouble, after how far we came._

* * *

_Soundtrack: HEAT UP! 2__nd__ Mix_

**==PHASE SEVEN==**

_Nonstop Debate!_

_Usable Ammunition:_

_- Shougo's Testimony_

_- Flickering Lights_

_- Katana in Chest_

_- Katana Case_

_- Throat Injury_

MIRAI: I… I know I'm right…

MIRAI: We forgot something very important!

RHYSSA: What did we exactly forget?

NOAH: _**It definitely was not the location of the body.**_

HIKARU: _**Did we forgot something about the position of his body?**_

KAITO: _**==Was he hurt anywhere else?==**_

UNMEI: Either way, I don't really see how something about his body could affect the case to this point…

UNMEI: Shouldn't we just continue from last time?

KEIKO: _**I concur!**_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial Dawn Edition – Volume Two_

KEIKO: Um, I do remember something about his body that we forgot.

KEIKO: It was important, but… it still lines up with all of our reasoning.

MIRAI: …No! There's a very glaring distinction to what we think and whatever Master Keiko is about to say because I forgot whatever I was going to say and I am very embarrassed for it except I'm glad that Master Keiko is very smart and really just as smart as everyone here and I'll stop talking like this so we can actually hear what Master Keiko has to say!

KEIKO: …Um.

KEIKO: Anyways, we seemed to have forgotten Hideki's throat injury.

NOAH: …Throat injury?

NOAH: Oh yes… I do remember now.

NOAH: His throat was slit, wasn't it?

KIREI: S-slit?!

KIREI: P-please stop talking about that… I'm not very good with blood.

KEIKO: Anyways, since it was slit, I think what Mirai is trying to say is how Hideki was sliced in the throat.

KEIKO: That's what's going to change our case.

MIRAI: You're so smart, Master Keiko! I could never remember that.

MIRAI: But I do remember now!

FURO: Well, spit it out then!

FURO: How does that even remotely relate to our case..?!

MIRAI: Let's see…

MIRAI: We thought that Hideki was attacked when the lights were on?

NOAH: Yes..?

MIRAI: So, if Hideki was slashed in the throat, it had to be while the lights were on too. Hideki didn't stumble into the aquarium..!

NOAH: …

NOAH: I don't see how that changes anything.

MIRAI: ...Why not?

NOAH: His cause of death was a stab to the chest. Basically impalement from the blade, to be more specific.

HIKARU: I suppose Hideki could have been pushed to the aquarium by the killer when the sword went through his chest.

MIRAI: But that contradicts what we said about why the killer turned off the lights.

MIRAI: The killer turned off the lights because they didn't want Shougo to see them.

MIRAI: But what really happened was that Hideki was killed while the lights were full blaze.

HIKARU: I see… I suppose this does, slightly alter our reasoning.

NOAH: It still doesn't change the fact that Shougo was witness to this case.

NOAH: Shougo could still reveal to us who the murderer is. We just need to give him time to think of an obscure way to tell us.

NOAH: That way, it's technically not "important information," and it turns into instead how we perceive what he is doing.

SHOUGO: …Right.

SHOUGO: And, by the way…

_Soundtrack: Class Trial ODD EDITION_

SHOUGO: I thought of it..! I thought of how I could reveal the killer to you guys.

MIRAI: …Oh?

MIRAI: Wait, what about what I said before?

MIRAI: The fact that Shougo could see the killer easily changes our case a lot…

YAYOI: Enough of that… let's just hear what Shougo has to say… we can end it right now..!

SHOUGO: Yes. I… hope this is obscure enough.

SHOUGO: But, here goes..!

[Shougo raised his arms, and made his fingers point in the way that resembles a gun. He then pretended to shoot at everyone.]

KEIKO: …Wait…

KEIKO: Noah?! It was Noah?!

NOAH: …Oh, please. That gun motion can easily be pointed towards any of us.

KIREI: H-how?!

RHYSSA: …

NOAH: Don't you think I'd be a little too obvious? That would make it "revealing information..." No. It could be someone else, and who is that person?

NOAH: Well, consider this.

NOAH: Rhyssa's NCIS role.

RHYSSA: Huh?!

NOAH: In NCIS, they frequently use guns, correct?

RHYSSA: Y-yeah, but I was only a guest star!

RHYSSA: I barely used guns for people to get that reference!

NOAH: But that's what makes it obscure.

MONOKUMA: Upupupu, it does, doesn't it? Rhyssa's reduced guest star role turned into the perfect imitation for Shougo!

MONOKUMA: Most people would have guessed Noah, as his talent is being a policeman…

MONOKUMA: But Rhyssa had an NCIS role as well! She is a gunslinger in her role, isn't she?

RHYSSA: S-stop it..!

RHYSSA: I could never kill anyone!

MICKY: Z-zip it, happy meal! You touched one of our friends..!

RHYSSA: …W-what?

YAYOI: H-how could you..?! I'll never forgive you!

YAYOI: Feels good to say that to someone else!

RHYSSA: Wait..! Guys..!

KEIKO: …

KEIKO: _Why? It all makes sense._

KEIKO: _Noah is too obvious, and that would make Shougo's message "obscure." But I know for a fact that it's not Rhyssa._

KEIKO: _I… I can't explain it, but she's not the murderer._

KEIKO: _Is there anyone else who could have committed it?_

KEIKO: _…Yeah. Yeah, there is. Except I know that person didn't do it either..!_

KEIKO: _I don't want to call him out for it though!_

MIRAI: Hmm… I still think I'm right.

MIRAI: The fact that Shougo clearly saw the killer's face changes lots of things…

MIRAI: But since we are talking about this, there's someone else that could be associated with a gun.

MONOKUMA: Upupupu…

HIKARU: And who is that?

MIRAI: You.

HIKARU: Me?

KAITO: Oh… as a prisoner, you were arrested for what again?

HIKARU: I do not feel comfortable revealing my crimes.

HIKARU: If you all do not know what it is… I'd rather keep it that way.

MIRAI: I'm not saying that you did anything like kill someone.

MIRAI: But… prisoners are often associated with guns as well.

NOAH: …Ha. I see.

NOAH: Well, then that leaves us three suspects, does it?

RHYSSA: Wait a minute! I can't be a suspect..!

NOAH: His message was clearly pointed at Hikaru, Rhyssa, or I…

NOAH: However, I assure you, that I would not take a life!

RHYSSA: Neither would I!

HIKARU: I would never take a life either.

YAYOI: H-how can we believe that when your past is shrouded in mystery?!

YAYOI: No, the most likely person here has to be Hikaru..!

HIKARU: It is not me. Please believe me.

RYOKO: Guys, guys… aren't we on the wrong track here?

HIKARU: How?

RYOKO: His message can be interpreted in any way…

RYOKO: Since I'm a tattoo artist, what if I put guns on people for tattoos?

RYOKO: It could associate me too, right?

MIRAI: …Ooh. She brings up a good point.

MIRAI: So it's pretty obvious that we're all wrong with our suspects, right?

SHOUGO: There can only be one person here that's the suspect…

SHOUGO: I only meant one person. But I'm glad…

SHOUGO: I thought since it could be interpreted in so much ways with the people here… maybe I could pass this off as something obtuse.

MIRAI: And obtuse it was… whatever that word actually means.

MIRAI: I think that we have to actually take his motion literally.

MIRAI: But Shougo, I noticed something while you were shooting at us.

UNMEI: Y-you know he actually wasn't literally shooting at us, right?

MIRAI: Anyways, can you do your hint again?

MIRAI: Exactly how you did it before

SHOUGO: S-sure, if it's allowed.

MONOKUMA: Eh, go ahead. We've already came this far, I'll allow it.

MONOKUMA: Upupupu! You should thank me for my generosity! I'm fair, this is your first trial, so you need a little jump start!

SHOUGO: Okay…

[Shougo made gun motions again. Yet, I didn't notice anything this time.]

KEIKO: What was your point of making him do it again..? It's not that hard to remember.

MIRAI: We have to interpret this literally, remember?

MIRAI: While it could mean Hikaru, and I guess it could mean Rhyssa…

MIRAI: There's something he did that made it perfectly clear who he was suspecting.

RYOKO: Um, I don't know about you, but you'd have to look pretty fucking hard to even notice anything that small.

FURO: Are you sure you're right about this, Mirai?

MIRAI: Trust me.

MIRAI: There's a reason why what he did makes him suspect one person, and one person only.

RHYSSA: I'm not a he! Hear that?! I'm a full woman!

KAITO: Yes, we can tell from your talk show that you are a "woman."

RHYSSA: …

RHYSSA: …Shut up…

KEIKO: _How does that even reveal any information about the suspect?_

KEIKO: _It really shouldn't, but…_

_**ANSWER THE QUESTION!**_

- How long he was shooting.

- The reason why he was shooting.

-** Who he was shooting to.**

KEIKO: _**This is it!**_

KEIKO: I got it… Mirai, you're thinking of who he's shooting to, right?

RYOKO: The fuck? How'd you notice it to, Keiko?

MIRAI: Shougo, do it one more time… exactly how you did it before.

SHOUGO: Alright.

[Shougo raised his arms, and clearly shot at one person. This person… was Hikaru.]

RYOKO: …Uh, he's shooting at Hikaru. So?

RYOKO: Are you saying he did it?

KEIKO: Yes…

KEIKO: Shougo was shooting at Hikaru! His target was the real culprit!

HIKARU: But I'm telling you. I did not commit this crime!

MIRAI: No, Master, you are wrong in this case.

KEIKO: Huh?

KEIKO: But he was shooting at Hikaru.

MIRAI: Yes, but there's a more literal interpretation for that.

KEIKO: …

KEIKO: _It wasn't Hikaru. But Shougo was shooting at Hikaru anyways._

KEIKO: _Argh..! I can't even think clearly._

KEIKO: _Bring it together Keiko._

KEIKO: _Trust Mirai's judgement, he's been mostly right so far… Who could he be referring to then?_

_You are about to read a Dive Drive. In this, Keiko must remember numerous aspects about the case to answer one big question she has. In this case, who is Mirai even referring too? Can you figure it out? I hope that this brings you closer to the truth. Over and out._

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_Soundtrack: DIVE DRIVE_

**==PHASE EIGHT==**

_Dive Drive!_

**QUESTION #1: Why did Shougo make shooting motions?**

**A: To give a hint of the killer.** B: Because he thought he was real funny. C: Because he went insane after being trapped in the aquarium.

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**QUESTION #2: Who did he shoot to?**

**A: Hikaru** B: Noah C: Rhyssa

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**QUESTION #3: Who is he accusing because of this?**

A: Hikaru **B: Noah** C: Rhyssa

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**CLEAR!**

KEIKO: _**I've connected the dots!**_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Deadman Wonderland Track 5. DW28A_

KEIKO: He… he was accusing Noah.

NOAH: …Me?

NOAH: Ha. You are joking, right?

MIRAI: As a policeman, Noah may use a tool of weapon… say a gun.

MIRAI: A gun to hunt down criminals.

HIKARU: A-and since I was a prisoner?

KAITO: Shougo was imitating Noah?

MIRAI: Yeah.

MIRAI: His imitations are what lead to his actual accusation.

MIRAI: He was imitating someone here. Who he was imitating was whoever the killer was.

NOAH: B-but, I haven't done a crime like this…

NOAH: You have no proof..!

TAKAYASHI: Wasn't Shougo meaning you proof enough?! He saw the entire damn thing!

RYOKO: God damn..! For a policeman you have some nerves!

NOAH: It wasn't me..! I am a man of the law..! I would never take a life!

RHYSSA: …Why?

NOAH: ..!

NOAH: Please believe me! It was not me!

MIRAI: …

MIRAI: Really?

NOAH: Of course not! I'm not a killer!

NOAH: How could I have even done it?!

KEIKO: …Don't you remember what you told me that one day?

KEIKO: You said you heard an explosion coming from the cafeteria.

KEIKO: Meaning that you were up and walking when the katana was dumped into the hole!

NOAH: B-but –

KEIKO: Noah! I don't want to believe it, but if it really was you…

KEIKO: Admit it already… end this terrible experience for us.

NOAH: I'm telling you! I do not tell lies!

NOAH: I was walking around that time, but it was not to commit murder!

KAITO: If you really were walking around that time, and no one saw you…

KAITO: How can we believe you?

UNMEI: It was you who said that all cases need a witness.

UNMEI: There was no witness, was there?

NOAH: …

NOAH: Do you guys understand what you are doing?

NOAH: If you accuse me, you will all be killed.

NOAH: This is a fight for our lives. Accusing me on a whim like this isn't going to help.

SHOUGO: What if I didn't reveal you?

SHOUGO: Would you have gone along with it?

NOAH: ..!

SHOUGO: You are just a hypocrite. Hypocrites make me sick.

NOAH: …

NOAH: I'm telling the truth.

NOAH: I did not commit this murder!

MIRAI: …

MIRAI: Hmm…

MIRAI: Mmm. I don't really know what's going on anymore.

MIRAI: But I know one thing.

MIRAI: I'm not sure that we can trust Shougo.

SHOUGO: Excuse me?

SHOUGO: I saw the killer in bright lights.

SHOUGO: The killer is Noah.

MONOKUMA: …Upupupu.

MIRAI: Yes… But I don't think its Noah.

NOAH: Mirai…

NOAH: He is correct though! It is not me.

MIRAI: I remember what I said earlier.

MIRAI: The reason why Shougo is wrong is BECAUSE he saw the killer in bright lights.

SHOUGO: Hmm? How exactly does that work?

SHOUGO: I-I saw the killer in bright lights. That killer was Noah!

NOAH: …

NOAH: Why do you feel the need to lie to get your way out of things?

MIRAI: I also do… have a little faith in Noah.

NOAH: ..!

MIRAI: Noah was one of the most influencing people here during the trial.

MIRAI: He wanted to get the killer… he has a natural blood for catching criminals…

MIRAI: …So that's why I don't think Noah is the killer.

NOAH: Mirai…

MIRAI: If you guys don't have faith… it'll lead you to darkness.

KAITO: …That sounds like something I would say.

UNMEI: Um, I doubt that.

RYOKO: So you're sayin' Noah didn't do it?

RYOKO: But it makes sense.

RYOKO: Keiko said that Noah told him herself.

RYOKO: He was walking that night. He was awake.

NOAH: I do not tell lies, and I will not deny that.

NOAH: But I had no knowledge of the murder at the time.

MIRAI: I think what really has to happen… is for us to talk about the missing ElectroIDs again.

KEIKO: Huh? Why those?

MIRAI: Hmm, it's a stretch, but I think I know why Shougo is concealing the truth from us.

SHOUGO: I'm not lying either!

SHOUGO: If you want to know, my Super Highschool Level title proves this directly!

SHOUGO: The fact that I am not a liar!

MIRAI: Oh? What is it?

SHOUGO: Me? My title?

SHOUGO: If it'll help advance this case, I'll say it now.

SHOUGO: My title is…

* * *

_**SUPER HIGHSCHOOL LEVEL LAWYER**_

* * *

SHOUGO: There.

SHOUGO: That's my title. Satisfied?

MIRAI: Yes.

MIRAI: But Noah is a policeman.

MIRAI: Hmm, who is right here?

KEIKO: …_Really. Who is right? Two people of law that could either be lying or telling the truth._

KEIKO: _This is one confusing case…_

MIRAI: I wonder… who is right here?

MONOKUMA: Upupupu! I guess we'll find out later, huh?

KEIKO: Huh?

MONOKUMA: I mean, it's time for another recess!

KEIKO: Another one? Not when we're on a hot streak..!

MONOKUMA: Oh, but we must!

MONOKUMA: Upupupu, people at home? Do you think it's Noah? Or do you think Shougo is hiding something from us?

MONOKUMA: Anything can happen in a class trial, nyahahaha!

**(AN: …lol. Another cliffhanger suckers lmao rofl wtf)**

_Continued in Chapter 1 Part VII_

…**or is it?**

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**(AN: Okay so TBH I was going to leave a cliff hanger here because it's a perfect place to drop off, but I already gave out two of them in like a week so I gave you a break and combined the two since I wrote the whole trial before hand. Therefore I rewrote the next part of the class trial that originally was going to be a standalone chapter instead of giving you another cliffhanger. Yay, right? Plus since I'm actually kind of sort of sadistic in a way, I wanted to see if anyone actually believed that I ended the trial. So if you did, please comment about that in the review, :P Enjoy the rest of the rewritten trial!)**

* * *

MEOWYKINS: Monokuma-sama! Meow! I think that we should continue this trial!

MONOKUMA: Hmm? Why is that, my dog who speaks like a cat?

MEOWYKINS: Because! I want to know what happens, nya nya!

MONOKUMA: …

MONOKUMA: Upupupu, I was so bored before, but I guess I'm not now.

MONOKUMA: Alright! Continue the trial!

KEIKO: O-okay.

KEIKO: Okay, so it's not Hikaru, right?

HIKARU: It is not.

HIKARU: However, I have doubts that it is Noah as well.

NOAH: …Hikaru.

NOAH: …

KEIKO: …

KEIKO: Thinking about it now…

KEIKO: There was no way Noah could have taken that ElectroID.

KEIKO: He didn't even know about it when I asked him.

KEIKO: So there was no need for the ElectroID to be taken…

KEIKO: Someone else had to have taken the ID, meaning that Noah couldn't have been the killer.

NOAH: …

TAKAYASHI: But if it wasn't Noah, then who was it?

TAKAYASHI: Did we interpret Shougo's warning wrong?

MIRAI: No, I don't think so.

MIRAI: It is not us that interpreted Shougo wrong.

MIRAI: But he didn't even give us a correct hint in the first place.

NOAH: Huh?!

HIKARU: Are you saying that his hint was meant to throw us off?!

SHOUGO: ..!

SHOUGO: No! I would never!

SHOUGO: These are your lives that we're talking about!

SHOUGO: I could never..!

MIRAI: As a master of loopholes…

MIRAI: Your initial loophole was this instead.

MIRAI: You'd give us what could be classified as completely revealing information, because if you interpreted what he did literally, it is clearly Noah.

MIRAI: But in reality, it didn't reveal anything at all.

MIRAI: It was unimportant because Shougo was lying.

MIRAI: Shougo is trying to protect someone here.

KEIKO: What?!

KEIKO: S-Shougo! Is this true?

SHOUGO: …

SHOUGO: Keiko. I appreciate you taking the time to eat with me that one time.

KEIKO: Shougo..!

KEIKO: To think I felt bad for you..! You could have killed us all!

SHOUGO: …

SHOUGO: I'm sorry, but the person who is the killer…

SHOUGO: I will most definitely not reveal who that person is!

MONOKUMA: Nyahaha! I was right to continue the trial, wasn't I?

MEOWYKINS: Actually, Monokuma-sama, it was I who suggested that, meow!

MONOKUMA: Liar! I'll eat you! Nom!

MEOWYKINS: Eep!

KEIKO: B-but!

SHOUGO: I'm talking to the killer now…

SHOUGO: I'm sorry. I couldn't end this like you wanted me to.

SHOUGO: All you have to go off on now is luck.

SHOUGO: Will these people find out who you are?

SHOUGO: …

KEIKO: …Shougo.

KEIKO: Why would you even protect that someone?!

NOAH: …

NOAH: …I think I know why…

NOAH: No, I definitely know why… I've been in a similar situation.

NOAH: But…

NOAH: It's too painful to talk about, actually…

RYOKO: Shougo..! You stupid son of a bitch!

FURO: You could have killed us all, you bastard!

KIREI: I-I must clean up this mess! I must clean up this mess!

YAYOI: There is no mess to talk about here, Kirei! Focus!

UNMEI: This isn't a good way to solve our problems!

KEIKO: _Why? Why would Shougo even stand up for the killer like that?_

KEIKO: _I… do I know why? Can I even guess why?_

KEIKO: _I have to. Noah said it was too painful, and we already accused him too much… I'll figure out Shougo's intentions myself!_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Flashing Anagram_

**==PHASE NINE==**

_Epiphany Anagram!_

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M/_/_/_/_/_/

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M/_/_/_/_/E/

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M/O/_/_/_/E/

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M/O/_/_/V/E

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M/O/T/_/V/E

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M/O/T/I/V/E

**MOTIVE!**

KEIKO: _**This is it!**_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

KEIKO: I know…

KEIKO: I definitely know.

KEIKO: It all goes back to the motive, doesn't it?

MONOKUMA: Upupupu, the motive?

MONOKUMA: Which motive? The one about your ship sinking or poor Shougo here being drowned in a tank meant for the fishies?

KEIKO: U-uh, the second one.

KEIKO: Someone here…

KEIKO: Someone here knows who Shougo is in real life.

KEIKO: Someone here actually saved Shougo's life!

RYOKO: S-saved his life?! You mean the killer killed Hideki because they wanted to rescue Shougo?!

RYOKO: I-I guess that's a little more sympathetic… but to let us all die, still!

KEIKO: It's true, isn't it Shougo?!

SHOUGO: …I… I plead the fifth.

FURO: You can't plead the fucking fifth in a trial ran by an evil teddy bear!

FURO: Is Keiko right or not?!

KEIKO: …

SHOUGO: …

SHOUGO: I can't say it..!

MIRAI: That pretty much confirms it, all things considering.

MIRAI: Anyways, Keiko was on the ball with that.

MIRAI: Remember when we were talking about why the killer didn't finish Shougo off?

MIRAI: It wasn't because the killer wanted to follow the rules, but it was because they knew who Shougo was before this incident ever happened.

MIRAI: Yup! The killer saved Shougo's life, that's all that happened!

NOAH: B-but wait..!

NOAH: That doesn't make sense!

NOAH: The killer would want to save Shougo! The killer should just reveal who they are then!

SHOUGO: …

SHOUGO: No! The killer would never reveal who they are!

SHOUGO: Because I'm going to save her!

SHOUGO: I'm going to make sure that she gets out of here alive!

TAKAYASHI: Aha!

TAKAYASHI: She's a "she," huh?!

SHOUGO: …S-shit..!

YAYOI: So that means the killer is a girl?!

SHOUGO: …

TAKAYASHI: Yahoo! I'm on fire today!

TAKAYASHI: W-wait a minute..! I'm a girl!

HIKARU: While that does narrow down our list of suspects, we are still missing a crucial piece of the trial!

HIKARU: We don't have any solid evidence that can convict anyone here!

NOAH: …N-not after we came this far..!

KAITO: Wait a minute here, don't give up!

KAITO: We just need to talk about something else!

MIRAI: He's right! Remember, we still didn't figure out the mystery of the lost ElectroID, did we?

NOAH: N-no, we didn't.

HIKARU: If I recall, I was looking into the room, and saw Hideki's dead body in the distance.

HIKARU: I noticed the SIM card and went to show Keiko, but after I looked…

HIKARU: I noticed that the ID went missing.

KEIKO: Y-yeah, I remember that…

KEIKO: Then that means..!

_**ANSWER THE QUESTION!**_

- Hikaru didn't actually see the ID.

- The ID was taken by someone before the body was discovered.

- **The ID was taken by someone after the body was discovered.**

KEIKO: _**This is it!**_

KEIKO: The ID was taken when we actually discovered Hideki's body?!

NOAH: You mean someone snagged it while we weren't paying attention?!

MIRAI: Think. Think about who it could be.

MIRAI: Someone had to notice, right?

MIRAI: And I think I noticed too.

MIRAI: In fact, I was there..! I saw the culprit as I discovered the body.

MIRAI: Keiko, you know who the killer is too, right?

MIRAI: The person that took the ID is one of us here. You know who it is.

KEIKO: W-why do I have to say it?!

KEIKO: _I-I mean, maybe it could be her…_

KEIKO: _But her?! I just don't believe it..!_

* * *

**MAKE AN ACCUSATION!**

Mirai Minoshiro

Takayashi Haruna

**Yayoi Adachi **

Hikaru Nise

Keiko Umino

Ryoko Ieyoshi

Furo Shirohashi

Micky Storm

Rhyssa Kaeda

Unmei Shirosaki

Yoshinori Ai

Kirei Nagai

Noah Sloan

Aikami Kaito

Mirai Minoshiro

Hideki Komiya

KEIKO: _**It could only be you!**_

_Music halts_

* * *

KEIKO: The culprit to this case…

KEIKO: The one closely connected to Shougo…

_Soundtrack: Class Trial ODD EDITION_

KEIKO: It was you, wasn't it Yayoi?!

YAYOI: H-huh?!

YAYOI: W-what?!

YAYOI: Huh?! What are you saying?!

YAYOI: No! No! I've never seen this man before in my life!

YAYOI: It couldn't have been me!

KEIKO: But you were the only person I forced to come with me!

KEIKO: You and Mirai that is!

MIRAI: Yup. You would have easily noticed the ElectroID first, after unknowingly dropping it the night before.

YAYOI: H-huh?!

MIRAI: You see, when Yayoi dropped her ID, she didn't know about it.

MIRAI: She saw it as she was walking in after being forced by Keiko.

MIRAI: In the end, she was afraid that someone would take it, and took the ID in a panic, easily missing the SIM card.

YAYOI: But I came before everyone else! The others would have seen it!

NOAH: In that case, you noticed it but realized that we were right behind you!

NOAH: While we were busy on the body, you took it under our breath!

SHOUGO: N-no..!

SHOUGO: No! You're wrong! Yayoi isn't the murderer!

SHOUGO: It was Noah! It was fucking Noah!

SHOUGO: He's the mother fucking piece of scumbag trash that killed Hideki!

NOAH: I am not a piece of scumbag trash!

NOAH: Not to mention!

NOAH: Remember who suggested that Shougo give the hint first?!

NOAH: It was Yayoi! She was the one who baited us into accusing me!

YAYOI: Nnnnnnnnnnnnnngh…!

YAYOI: L-liars..! Why do you… Why do you all hate me?!

KEIKO: Yayoi also was noticeably the one who wanted to go home the most out of all of us, right?

KEIKO: You noticed how she'd freak out so much times!

YAYOI: S-shut up! Shut up right now!

YAYOI: You don't fucking know! You don't fucking know what you are talking about!

YAYOI: WHY DO YOU ALL HATE ME? DO YOU WANT TO SEE INNOCENT PEOPLE LIKE ME SUFFER LIKE THIS?!

YAYOI: I AM A GODDAMN MOTHER FUCKING HACKER! I WILL STEAL ALL OF YOUR IDENTITES AND PUT YOU ON THE STREET!

KAITO: Damn… not very innocent now.

SHOUGO: Y-Yayoi! Calm down!

SHOUGO: It wasn't her! It wasn't!

KEIKO: No! It was! All the pieces fit together!

KEIKO: Did anyone see Yayoi out last night? No, but that doesn't mean that she wasn't!

KEIKO: If no one say Yayoi, then that would leave her free to commit the crime!

SHOUGO: N-ngh!

SHOUGO: You liar! Shut the fuck up!

KEIKO: And I know exactly how the murder was committed!

KEIKO: I'll reveal your crimes here Yayoi! All at once!

YAYOI: Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngh!

YAYOI: SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP!

YAYOI: YOUSUCKYOUSUCKYOUSUCKYOUSUCK!

YAYOI: YOULIEYOULIEYOULIEYOULIE!

YAYOI: GODIEGODIEGODIEGODIE!

YAYOI: AOUSNDAUSDNASDNAIUSDNCASNDPAIUDFOS!

KEIKO: _Here we go…_

KEIKO: _Piecing the whole crime together right now!_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Re Climax Return_

_Chapter 1 _

This all starts last night. Hideki went insane, probably over having no games, and wanted to get out of this school as soon as possible. He goes over and heads to Shougo's room, being trapped, intending to kill him.

_Chapter 2_

Hideki, not wanting any witnesses in case there were any, leaves the lights off. However, because it was so dark in the room, Hideki could barely see Shougo, and therefore missed, creating that slit in the glass that we saw.

_Chapter 3_

Yayoi, who was also up by a stroke of luck, heard Shougo's screams. Recognizing his voice immediately, she ran to his room, using her ID as a flashlight, and took a katana. Hideki and Yayoi were engaged in a brawl, and she unknowingly dropped her ID, causing the SIM card to fall out as well. She charged and sliced Hideki's throat, and then stabbing him immediately after, dealing the finishing blow and knocking him back into the aquarium. That also caused the cup to fall onto the ground and shatter, creating the glass shards that we saw that day.

_Chapter 4_

Yayoi had used two swords now. One for herself to kill Hideki, and one that Hideki used to try and kill her. Not wanting to create more evidence, Yayoi took Hideki's sword and headed to the cafeteria, remembering the hole that Mirai created and what would happen if something was put into it.

_Chapter 5_

As Yayoi dropped the sword into the water, Noah at the same time was up and walking around as well. Noah heard the sword explode by the electrocution that Monokuma had set up to go off. Instead of going for it, he assumed it wasn't anything important, and ignored it.

_Chapter 6_

That night, I had a feeling that something was amiss, so I went to Shougo's room. I had a feeling that something bad happened there, and as I opened the door, I discovered Hideki's dead body. Shocked, I ran over to the dorms, knocking on every door and forcing Yayoi and Mirai with me.

_Chapter 7_

As we entered, Yayoi immediately noticed the ElectroID. The others followed close in pursuit however, and rendered Yayoi unable to grab her ID. Until everyone noticed Hideki's dead body, that is. Yayoi, noticing this, took this opportunity and grabbed the ID, causing it to disappear, much to Hikaru's confusion.

"That's what happened! That's the murder of Hideki Komiya!"

I pointed my finger at Yayoi across the court table, and screamed at the top of my lungs.

"Yayoi Adachi! You killed Hideki Komiya!"

* * *

_Continued in Chapter 1 Part VII: The End_

**(AN: I have to say, I am pretty satisfied with how things turned out. I hope you guys liked this trial! I was thinking of adding a Machinegun Talk Battle, but I thought it would be useless, plus, this is a great place to stop without being much of a cliffhanger. See ya! Another update tomorrow for sure, since it's that segment in the games when the trials are over. You should expect some backstory as well!)**


	11. Chapter 1: Section 7 - Accept Your Fate

**(AN: OMG I know I said that I was going to upload this tomorrow but UGH to the holy UGH in the UGH UGH UGH the UGH, the power went out yesterday..! Oh Peco… Thanks everyone for the kind reviews as always! I was going to reply to the reviews – but I couldn't, since obviously the power went out and I wasn't able to get online and actually refresh my brain of your reviews, lol.**

**Warning about gore because, duh, execution.)**

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_Soundtrack: Persona 3 – The Voice Someone Calls_

Yayoi looked at me. Her eyes were a bloody red, and her teeth were clenched. She was furious – her shell was a shy, misunderstood, and weak girl, but her eyes had the threat of a predator. Shougo was crying when I turned to look at him. His hands were closed into fists, slammed onto the ground. I could see the tears fall out of his eyes and onto the sand below.

"Damn it..!" he whimpered. "I failed to save Yayoi..! I failed to save her again!"

"…Keiko..!" she growled. "No way… no way you guys found out..!"

"Upupupu, I guess we're about to see, aren't we?" Monokuma asked, chuckling to himself. "Yes, I believe the time has come to vote for our culprit!"

I looked at the table in front of me, and a little touchpad opened up. It listed all of our names, and the header read: "Cast Your Vote!"

"Just use the touchpad in front of you to choose the killer," Monokuma explained. "It's the best part of the trial!"

My hand was shaking. I tapped Yayoi's name, and a different menu showed up, showing one single red button on the middle of the screen. It was "VOTE," vote for one of my friends. One of my friends who granted, murdered someone else, but one of my friends either way.

"Why are you so reluctant?" Monokuma asked us, after a few minutes of silence. "This is just a part of the process. You came to an agreement about how killed Hideki, so it's time to vote, isn't it? Vote and send a person to their death?"

"S-stop it..!" Yayoi stammered. "I… I accept it. I killed Hideki..!"

I could tell Shougo was trying to hold back his tears, but it seemed like they were falling out involuntarily, unable to stop flowing because of the raw emotion.

"Hmm?" Monokuma started. "This is cool! Guys, we got a confession! You can't get any better than that, can you?"

My hands were still shaking as they towered over the button that read "VOTE." If I voted for Yayoi… would I really be sending her to death? I wished and wished to myself that this was just a prank… that I didn't have to just send someone to their death like this. But it wasn't a joke. I realized that days before. The fruit, Shougo's isolation, the entire fact that we were trapped underwater for God's sake. Accepting this as reality, I closed my eyes, and slammed my hand on the touchpad. The machine let out a beep, and as I opened my eye, a picture of Yayoi was pictured, confirming the fact that I indeed voted for her.

Following in pursuit, the others reluctantly pressed the button as well. One by one, the beeps filled the air of the sandy beach, ready to flare up everywhere…

"Upupupu, looks like we got a non-voter over here!" Monokuma laughed excitedly. "C'mon, Shougo! Take a vote! It doesn't matter if you're wrong as long as the correct killer is voted for by majority rules!"

"I…I won't send her to her death," Shougo said softly. "I can't – I won't."

"Oh really now?" Monokuma asked in a menacing tone. "I wouldn't want to punish you again though. That's a lie, it's always fun for punishment. But I'm sure you don't want to be… killed this time?"

Shougo let out a small gasp, and his eyes fixated on the button. He was still reluctant, and his hand nervously hovered over the screen. He took a glance at Yayoi – who was looking down and holding her arm. She nodded as if to confirm her fate, and Shougo sighed, pressing the screen in front of him. The final beep filled the air, and Monokuma took out a personal copy of an ElectroID, and began to observe the results of the vote.

"Well, good job, you guys!" Monokuma laughed. "It looks like it was almost unanimous, though of course, someone here decided to vote for someone else!"

Everyone took a glance at Shougo, who looked down. His jaw was puffed up, and he was muttering curse words under his breath.

"Upupupu!" Monokuma laughed. "Nyahahahaha! Yes, true beans, you guys! Yayoi Adachi was the murderer of Hideki Komiya! She entered the dark room of Shougo one night, and managed to save his life from the treachery of Hideki!"

Yayoi looked down.

"All you had to do was knock him out, or something," Kaito said sadly. "Cut up his leg, or stop him yourself. Why kill him..? You aren't the murderous type, are you?"

Yayoi let out a tear, and shook her head.

"N-no," she said nervously. "Of course not."

"Upupupu!" Monokuma interrupted. "Major lie alert! Monokuma the bear detects a big fat ass lie, coming from the hacker over here!"

"What do you mean?" Yoshinori asked. "A lie about… her murderous intentions?!"

Yayoi's eyes widened slightly, but she soon lowered them again. "I'm not a murderer –"

"OMG!" Monokuma yelled. "Stop lying to yourself, you bastard. You're already going to die anyways, so why conceal your past now? You might as well tell the lot of us on why you're so fucked up, right?

"Y-you don't have to," Shougo warned. "Yayoi, stop..!"

"It doesn't matter anymore," Yayoi said sadly. "I'm going to die, right? There's nothing this bear can't do – it's not like he's lying about killing me or anything, right?"

Monokuma began to laugh. "Upupupu, this girl knows what she's talking about! But I think it's about high time that we tell everyone here your personal secrets. I'm sure that we're all confused!"

Yayoi shuddered, and took a seat on the sand below her, as Monokuma cleared his throat, beginning to narrate Yayoi's story.

* * *

_Soundtrack: Persona 3 Reincarnation – The Poem for Everyone's Soul_

"_M-mama!" Yayoi cried. She cried out and held her arms out, grasping for her mother. The lady just walked away, holding the arms of her man in front of her. She spit on the ground, and left Yayoi laying in the alleyway, as the rain fell down and splashed against her head. Yayoi let out a cry, and began to scream into the air. "Mama! Why are you leaving me?! Come back..! Come back!"_

_**Two years later…**_

_Yayoi's stepmother climbed down the stairs. Yayoi entered the house, holding her third place trophy to the science fair. Yayoi's bright smile illuminated the room, making everyone smile around her. Her father was getting up from the living room and patting Yayoi on the head, and her new mother created a special cake just for the occasion. Yayoi's older brother rubbed a fist on top of Yayoi's head._

"_Good job, sis!" her brother admired in a loving voice. "I knew you could do it!"  
_

"_It's only third place," Yayoi replied. "It's not that big of a deal… but thanks anyways."_

_**One year later…**_

"_Why can't you ever win?!" screamed a lady. She threw Yayoi's new third place trophy for the second science fair into the trash can, along with her trophies for painting… computer graphics… diving… everything. "You like the number three?! Is that it? I pressure you every goddamn day but you never apply yourself to anything! You're a fail of a daughter!"_

"_I-I'm sorry, mom!" Yayoi cried. "I tried..! I honestly did..!"_

"_Stop half-assing everything, you excuse for a daughter!" _

_The lady kicked Yayoi on the back, and Yayoi stumbled back and stayed on the floor crying. _

"…_Are you okay, sis?" asked her brother._

"_I-I'm fine… __**Shougo.**__"_

_**Another year passes by…**_

"_**Happy birthday!"**_

_Shougo and Yayoi's boyfriend Akihiko stood in front of Yayoi, presenting a birthday cake. All of Yayoi's friends gathered around, and sang a song as Yayoi blew out the candles. Meanwhile, her mother went outside to check the mail. Her mother and Yayoi agreed the week before, that if Yayoi didn't receive first place for the poetry contest, she would be grounded and have to devote her life into perfecting everything. _

"_Here's your present," Akihiko said. "I know that you're skilled with computers – got you this sick USB port, a Mami Tomoe one. I know it's not much, but I couldn't afford much either."_

"_It's perfect," Yayoi smiled. "Thank you, Akihiko!"_

"_**Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"**_

_Her friends eagerly yelled, and the two shyly pecked each other while everyone cheered._

_"T-that's enough..!" Yayoi muttered, joyfully. "Stop it you guys..!"_

"_Hey," Shougo yelled. "Don't get too touchy with my sister."_

"_Shougo!" Yayoi snapped. "We had this talk before!"_

"_But I promised!" Shougo protested. "I promised that I'd protect you..!"_

_Shougo looked down and his face turned red. Yayoi sighed and turned towards Akihiko, giving him another light kiss on the cheek. While everyone was having fun, her mother walked into the room._

"_Yayoi. Your party is over. You're grounded."_

"_What?" Yayoi asked. "B-but..!"_

_Her mother showed Yayoi the letter that showed what place Yayoi got in at the contest. To her dismay, it read:_

_**Second place. And yet, another year passed… More abuse… More disappointment… Until one day, when she was sixteen, she received a letter in the winter.**_

…"_Oh." Yayoi said to herself, talking through tears. "Look, mama… I got a letter. It says I can attend Hope's Peak Academy… I received top marks in my class on the admittance class. S-see?" Yayoi lightly showed the letter to the corpse of a woman with a knife in her chest. Blood still spilled out from moments before, when Yayoi plunged the knife into a lady who she just couldn't put up with anymore. Of course… she was just human. She felt awful about it moments after. Her hands shook violently as she opened the letter and showed it to her mother. "I won..! I finally won…"_

_Shougo walked into the house, turning the doorknob to the front door, and dropped his groceries onto the ground._

"_Y-Yayoi," he stuttered. "What happened to mom..?"  
_

_Yayoi shook her head, and cried a little more._

_**A week later, a funeral was held. A week after the funeral, Shougo found out what happened.**_

"_I-I'm a lawyer," Shougo said nervously. "I wanted to attend Hope's Peak with you – but I can't let this slide… I-I…"_

_"I know," Yayoi said suddenly. "I'll accept my fate."_

"_Your fate," Shougo sighed. "You make it sound… like your life is over. Though, it basically is… little sis."_

_Shougo and Yayoi hugged each other tightly. "I couldn't have asked for a better sister..!"_

_Yayoi nodded. "I'm going to say goodbye to Akihiko."_

_**Yet, later that day, Yayoi and Akihiko were walking home, and a truck swerved by. The truck tilted, and Akihiko pushed poor Yayoi out of the way. As she walked up, a severed hand lay on the ground, as the maimed driver exited the car. Panicking, the man ran away.**_

"…_You won't escape!" Yayoi yelled. She got a loose tire, and bludgeoned the man, dumping his body in the lake._

_Later that day, a group of bullies surrounded Yayoi. Yayoi apprehended them easily and tossed them all in the lake. She grabbed a heavy stick and made sure that they couldn't get out – or their head would be injured instead. _

_Walking home later that day, Yayoi had cleaned her bloody clothes in the river. Yayoi lied and said that Akihiko drowned while they were playing in the river. Shougo saw through her lies, but he didn't say anything. She's gone through too much, he thought. We'd go to school with each other, he thought._

_**Another month passed. Shougo brought Yayoi to the bus where they boarded and headed to Hope's Peak Academy – attending to school together as the power pair: Super Highschool Level Hacker and Super Highschool Level Lawyer, hand in hand.**_

_**But several days passed…**_

"S-Shougo," Yayoi stammered, walking into the dark room where her brother was held in the darkness. She saw a boy by the name of Hideki, holding a large sword that gleamed even in the darkness. The boy charged, and Yayoi let out a scream, grabbing a nearby katana and shining her light at Hideki. Thankfully, she noticed Shougo wasn't injured, but the boy didn't have any reluctance as he charged towards Yayoi, preparing to kill her. "Stop bullying me… I want you to stop hurting me… Stop hurting Shougo too..!"

Yayoi brought up her sword and slashed Hideki's throat. She took the hilt of the sword and slammed the sharp end into Hideki's chest. She pushed him into the aquarium, and she heard the crash of glass.

"Y-Yayoi," Shougo said nervously. "W-why again..? Why did you kill again?!"

"I had to save my big brother," Yayoi said softly. "I wasn't going to let anyone else hurt us anymore… that driver… those bullies… they all died. Now Hideki died… He deserved it, right..? They all did."

"N-no!" Shougo scolded. "You can't take human life lightly like that..! Now you're going to die because of me!"

"I don't care," Yayoi said.

Shougo's eyes widened with fear. "How can you say that..? So lightly! Get your head back! Where did my little sister go?!"

"I'm still here," Yayoi said. "I've always been here."

Shougo's eyes widened even more. Shougo finally rested, and leaned against the glass, accepting the future for what would happen.

"…I can't save you this time," Shougo said.

"I know."

"…But I'm going to try."

"Shougo..!"

"The trial… we're going to hold a trial. I'm a lawyer, I can trick all of them. I can deceive everyone and make them vote for everyone else! You aren't going to die..!"

"B-but, I killed so many people," Yayoi cried. "I don't deserve to live..!"

"You're my little sister!" Shougo yelled. "Of course you do! Akihiko would have thought so!"

Yayoi shedded many tears, and as time passed, they discussed their plans. Yayoi would get out… that's what they decided.

But a few hours later… they were in the courtroom, outside on a sunny beach.

"I… I'm sad," Yayoi said to the others. "Sad that my life had to be lived… like this."

"L-little sis," Shougo cried. "I promised that I'd protect you..!"

Yayoi smiled, and looked at Shougo with teary eyes. "How long has it been… the last time you said that to me."

The atmosphere filled with heavy tears and cries as Monokuma brought up his gavel.

"Now, now," Monokuma said with words of comfort, but with intentions of pure malevolence. "It's time… I end your misery."

Yayoi looked at the bear, and let out another cry.

"Upupupupu! Nyahahaha! Who's ready? Your very first, action packed, **execution!**"

"Y-Yayoi," Shougo said silently. "I-I'm sorry."

"It's for the best," Yayoi sighed, accepting her fate.

A red button rose from the table in front of Monokuma, and he slammed the gavel.

* * *

_Soundtrack: Punishment FEAT. Hell-icopter_

_From the ground in the middle of a forest rose a large machine, and chains popped from the outside of it. One of them wrapped around Yayoi, and took her flying through the barrage of trees as she was taken to the middle of what seemed to be something resembling the habitat of a zoo. The others watched as the fence rose, and Yayoi stood in the middle of the ground, closing her eyes for what was to come._

_**HACK THE HACKER – SUPER BLOODY EXECUTION**_

_Monokuma, dressed up in a computer outfit, took an axe, and began to rapidly hack the ground. The dirt popped up from the ground, and the axe managed to graze her skin and chop a finger off. Yayoi screaming in pain, realized that Monokuma wasn't aiming directly at her. The ground below her fell, having been hacked by Monokuma, and she fell into a large building. The open roof above her closed, and the building rose and rose, and the others realized what it was: a Mami Tomoe USB. A huge one. The end of it began to spark with electricity, and soon the whole building was wrapped with extreme electricity, the whole thing being electrocuted. Soon, the lightning stopped, and no noise came from inside. The ground opened up once again, and the USB slowly dropped inside, falling into places unknown._

* * *

_Soundtrack: A Dead End to the Ocean's Aroma_

"Phew!" Monokuma said, letting out a sigh. "It feels great to let out that amazing execution, don't you guys think?"

We all stared in horror. What had transpired before us was unreal.

"W…what the?!" Micky screamed. "What in Hermes just happened?!"

"The fuck did you do?!" Furo yelled. "That wasn't an execution! That was a goddamn macabre show!"

"Not even that!" Unmei screamed. "What the heck was with that USB port?!"

I didn't have any words for what had just happened. I looked around, and noticed something. Instead of being fazed, or shocked in the slightest, Mirai looked at Monokuma, behind the evil laughs and cries.

"What is it, Mirai?" Monokuma noticed. "Upupupupu! You want to comment to me about my creativity?"

"…Why…"

_Soundtrack: Danganronpa OST – New World Order_

"There's something wrong going on here!" Mirai pointed a finger at Monokuma, and the mood dropped even considerably lower than it was before, with the absence of Monokuma's evil laughing.

"…What do you mean?" Monokuma asked. "Nothing is wrong here."

"It's the middle of the night, and we're on a sunny beach," Mirai noted. "How is this possible? Where are we exactly?"

Monokuma didn't respond, and Mirai just looked forward as Monokuma raised his paws to his mouth.

"Upupupu! You want to know, huh? Well, fucks with you..! You won't know what hell I'm raising until much, much later… But, to comfort you a little bit… I set the timer back five days…"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Doesn't it suck to only have forty-three days left?" Monokuma asked. "Being the generous bear that I am, now you have forty-eight to find out what's going on and end it!"

"You mean we can leave?!" Takayashi asked excitedly. "We can get out of here if we just figure it out?"

"…Upupupu."

Monokuma chuckled, and left it at that. His chuckles ran through the night, until we all climbed back into the submarine, and ended up in our rooms. Despite the trouble, I was elated at the fact that we were over, and I hopped on the bed, kicking and screaming about what was happening to us.

Hours passed, and I fell asleep eventually. The darkness shadowed over me.

_Continued in Chapter 2: Section 1 _

**(AN: I had no time to make an endcard because of the power outage yesterday. I'll make one and put it up for the next chapter, so sorry I have to skip it for this one. Hope you liked this despair chapter…)**


	12. Chapter 2: Section 1 - Sharks w Lasers

**(AN: Hi guys. Wanted to upload Chapter 2, but I'm also going to be uploading Free-Time's that Yayoi and Hideki would have had if it wasn't for their untimely deaths. That'll be after both of my stories end and I have some spare time, since I wish to finish this story and the Free-Time's will only take up more time.**

**King Okami: Thank you very much!**

**Reven288: Thanks a lot! I know, that pun was amazing.**

**Ode30: Brother and sister, you mean, lol. Yayoi IS a girl after all. Thanks for your free-time nominations!**

**Paku159: Awww…sorry about that. Too bad I had to kill off your character this early, but it is Danganronpa after all. **

**Kougari: Thanks! Glad you liked it!  
**

**FateOblivion: Wow you're gorethirsty, lol. Getting a finger chopped off and being electrocuted in a huge USB isn't good enough, EH? JK, thanks for the review!  
**

**MizunashiFuyuko: Don't worry, it's an actual computer hacker, lol. Thanks!**

**AssAssinAtEd: Hmm… I wonder… You're welcome to PM me your theory since I am interested in it. Of course I won't tell you whether or not you're right or not, but… hehe. Thanks for the review!**

**TheRoseShadow21: Ikr? Thanks for the review!)**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Persona – Aria of the Soul_

"…Welcome."

This again.

"It's only been a short while, hasn't it? I feel as if maybe we are calling on you too much."

"Shut up," I said. "I don't even know what to think anymore."

"Oh?" the man asked. "I see. You are confused."

I clenched my teeth as the man walked closer and closer to me. Adjusting his mask, he brought his hand to my chin and rubbed it tenderly. It disturbed me in ways that you couldn't imagine – his disgusting touch filling me with a feel of violation that exceeded all others. I wanted to hurt this man so much.

"You are feeling hostility," the man noticed. "It is to be expected, isn't it? You seem to be upset about our whole ordeal."

"Well, who wouldn't?" I asked angrily. "I'm trapped in a goddamn chair with these wires extracting blood from me for who knows why..!"

Getting sick of the image of the man, I tilted my head away from him. Nanako was sitting on the other side of the table, writing things down on her clipboard.

"Now, now," the man said. "I called you here to discuss, not for you to rant to me about your grievances. So… the firsts of your comrades has been offed. How does that feel? Are you angry? Upset? Confused? Worried?"

"Afraid," I said, cutting the man off. "Afraid that I'll be next and I'll never find out who you are and what's happening to me..!"

"…Interesting," the man said. "You have an exceptional resolve. Hoping to get out of that terrible situation and entering the world where Nanako and I reside. However, what if I tell you that this side… will disappoint you?"

"…Sides? What do you mean? What sides?"

"Ah… you're starting to get a grasp of your situation now."

"I… I still don't know anything..! You're lying…"

"…No. You are figuring things out. Slowly but surely, you will reach the truth that you so desire. Nanako, are you finished with your observations?"

"Yes sir," she replied. "I have them here on this clipboard."

"Excellent," the man said. "Well, Keiko, it appears… things are more and more stable now."

"What do you mean? Stable?"

"We do not require these daily checkups anymore," the man responded. "You will be free to live your real life in that world… treasure each moment, and I wish the best of luck to you."

"W-wait a minute…"

But before I could make any objections, he snapped his fingers.

"This will not be the last time we meet, but it may be a while before we can speak to each other again."

As he said that, I felt a burning pain run down my spine, and I fell into a familiar white light that took me to a world where I wouldn't remember anything. This ending was bittersweet for me. I'm not sure which was real and which was reality, but the fact that I could only remember certain things here… I wasn't sure what to think. I still won't remember anything over _there_ though. I'm not sure how much I have to make that clear to myself… I won't remember anything. I won't remember anything… I won't remember a thing…

_Music halts_

I woke up in my bed. The clock to the side of me says: "Countdown Paused." I recalled Monokuma saying something at the last trial… We have five days more to find out what's going on and escape from here. So I guess there's more to do than just live here and wait to die. We actually have to find out how to get out. Which I didn't mind… the quicker I got out of this "underwater school," the better for me and everyone else. Sighing, I leaped off my bed, and stepped on something squishy.

"Ow!" moaned a familiar voice. Horrified, I leapt off the idiot that lay down beneath my bed, and he looked at me, his eyes squinted. He was rubbing his chest in pain, and sat down on the floor, crestfallen. "That hurt, Master..! You're so mean!"

_Soundtrack: Soul Eater – In His Mind_

_(AN: Love this BGM… lol.)_

"W…What the heck?"

He backed up to the corner of the room as I stepped on his stomach, and he rubbed it gently, his eyes squinted and his attitude worsened.

"Why are you in my room again?!" I yelled. "I thought I told you to stay out..!"

"No!" Mirai protested. "You told me to stay out of your closet!"

"I also implied for you to stay out of my room!"

"…Oh," Mirai said, realizing what I'm saying. "You did not make that clear."

I slapped my forehead, and began to push Mirai out of the room. Mirai tried to resist and stay back, and try he did. It was incredibly hard to move him from his position. He tripped over as I pushed him once more, and I pulled him out of the room holding his legs. His fingers clawed against the floor as he shouted words of protest. I took Mirai out of my room, and scolded him.

"I told you! You can't just go into someone's room like that!"

"But Master..! I was worried… I thought maybe you would have gotten hurt…"

"Why would I have gotten hurt?!"

"W-well, there were two attempted murders yesterday… Master Hideki and Master Shougo, and Master Yayoi who killed Master Hideki, so… I wanted to make sure that no one would kill you."

"What about the others?" I sighed. "If anything, they need more protection than I do… Like Kirei for example. She's really… uh, delicate. She'd need some help!"

"But Master Kirei is a maid," Mirai said. "She must be handy with a broom as a weapon."

"I doubt she has a broom that she could use as a weapon in her room," I snapped. "Besides, brooms don't make for good weapons at all..!"

"…Really?" Mirai asked. "But the wooden part of the broom is rough and hard. I could give someone a nice beating… I think."

I bonked him on the nose, and Mirai squinted again, grabbing at his nose.

"Ow!" he complained.

"Just stay away from my room from now on! And don't talk about beating someone either!"

"Y-yes, Master… I understand… I'm sorry… Please forgive me…"

I sighed, and motioned with my hands for Mirai to leave, but he didn't move away.

"Go!"

"But I'm not in your room," Mirai said. "If I can't stay by you, then I'd rather wait in front in case someone decides to kill you."

"No one else is going to try and kill each other!"

"…Really?"

"Yes!"

"Hmm… maybe you're right," Mirai said, grabbing his chin. "But what if someone were to seriously maim you! I'd have to protect you from that..!"

"Like I said, there's other people that could use your help..!"

"…B-but… I'd rather be with you Master Keiko."

"Why me?" I sighed.

"Well, you're teaching me a lot of things I didn't know," Mirai said. He raised his finger as if to make a point, and continued to speak. "For example, I didn't know that a broom would be a proper weapon. I thought brooms would be good, but you said that they wouldn't, so now I know that they aren't."

…He had a really… young thought process.

"If I tried to do this with someone like Master Hikaru, instead, he would be extremely rude..! In fact, I tried to talk to him just today you see. It was 4:00 AM, and –"

"What?! Why would you wake him up that early?!"

"Hmm, I wasn't tired," Mirai said. "But when I left Hikaru's room after he began to yell at me, I got a little drowsy and came into your room."

"B-but… Hey! I locked the door anyways!"

Mirai's cheeks puffed up, and he held something behind his hand. He refused to show it, and he backed up to the wall and kept what he was holding nice and hidden.

"Uh, what are you holding there?"

"…Nothing," Mirai said, his cheeks still puffed.

I forced Mirai out of the wall, and what he was holding fell on the glass floor and made a small crack. It was a screwdriver, a paper clip, and a monkey wrench. So he was holding more than one thing behind his back, huh..?

"Why do you have these?" I asked, tired out.

"N-no reason!" Mirai insisted. "I… you see, I like metal things."

"I find that hard to believe," I said. "You wouldn't have refused to show me if that were the reason."

"W-wow! Master, your power of inference… it's amazing..!"

I generally am and try to be a nice person, but Mirai was really getting on my nerves a little bit. I didn't hide this, being extremely worn out, and I bonked Mirai twice more.

"Ow! Master, stop hitting me!"

"Did you use those to break into my room?!"

Mirai innocently shook his head, though he was filled with very obvious lies.

"N-no! Y-y-you see, the door was already unlocked! Maybe a little fish swam through the cracks of the floor and unlocked the door itself! Yes! That's what happened!"

"…You lie."

"W-wow! Master's at it again..!"

"How do you even know how to break locks like that?!"

"…I reserve the right to stay silence."

Mirai looked flabbergasted as I sighed, and walked into my room, slamming it shut behind me. I felt a little bad afterwards leaving Mirai outside like that – he was so innocent he was probably rather upset right now. Ignoring this feeling, reminding myself that he broke into my room, I got changed, and prepared for the rest of the day. While we were supposed to look for a day out, I doubted that we'd find anything special today. I didn't want to spend the rest of the day in my room, I headed out, ignoring a sulking Mirai who trailed slightly behind me, before he gave up and went elsewhere.

* * *

_Soundtrack: Beautiful Days [Piano Arrange]_

**==FREE TIME==**

[Taking a peek in the math room, I saw Unmei looking at a math problem scribbled in chalk.]

UNMEI: *sigh* This is easy…

UNMEI: Oh! Keiko, I didn't see you there!

_Should I hang out with Unmei?_

**YES**

NO

UNMEI: O-oh! Uh, okay.

[I spent the next few moments trying to come up with impossible math problems.]

UNMEI: Hm… those were too easy too.

UNMEI: I'm a little disappointed…

UNMEI: …Oh! Sorry, not at you!

UNMEI: Just a little disappointed in myself..!

KEIKO: Why..? I'd love to be able to solve things like you.

KEIKO: And it's not just with math… on the road, too.

UNMEI: I-I guess you're right.

UNMEI: I never really thought about it that much, but…

UNMEI: I guess I just don't like having my life decided for me..?

KEIKO: What do you mean..?

KEIKO: You're amazing. You can solve things fast but that doesn't decide your life or anything.

UNMEI: …I-I guess it doesn't.

UNMEI: But knowing everything at a first glance…

UNMEI: H-ha… it gets sort of tiring, you know?

UNMEI: …Anyways… uh…

UNMEI: What do you think about Kaito, haha..?

KEIKO: He's a pervert, at that…

UNMEI: …Oh!

UNMEI: I know, right? That weirdo..!

UNMEI: …

UNMEI: Er…

UNMEI: Hmm.

KEIKO: Anyways… I'm still amazed you could solve all those problems.

UNMEI: …Like I said, I'm tired of it…

UNMEI: But you wouldn't understand.

KEIKO: …Right. Okay.

UNMEI: H-hey… I enjoyed this, okay?

KEIKO: Yeah, I did too.

[Unmei is one weird girl… Of course, I wouldn't say that to her out loud, but… I wonder what's her deal with some things? Oh well, I guess. I could just talk to her later.]

* * *

_==UNMEI'S REPORT CARD HAS BEEN UPDATED==_

ID: Unmei Shirosaki / Super Highschool Level Problem Solver

|||Unmei showed some discomfort about being able to "solve everything," and showed some interest in Kaito…|||

Closeness Level: 1 == **Level Up!** == 2

* * *

[Furo is sitting alone again on the stage… I wonder what he's drawing.]

FURO: …

[He's not responding..! Should… I try and hang out with him anyways?]

FURO: Oh. You.

FURO: Uh, I guess.

[I spent some time looking at Furo's drawings.]

FURO: …

KEIKO: …

FURO: …

FURO: Uh, what do you want?

KEIKO: I just wanted to talk.

FURO: …Talk about what?

FURO: Nothing to talk about with me…

KEIKO: …Well, your drawings are cool.

FURO: That's it, right?

FURO: All you can say is that they're cool.

FURO: …And that's it.

KEIKO: You really don't have anything to talk about..?

FURO: No.

FURO: It's not like I even want to talk either…

KEIKO: Ah… you're an anti-socialite?

FURO: …

KEIKO: You should open up to us just a little bit, all things considering…

KEIKO: We'll never get out of this place without trust in one another.

FURO: …

FURO: Trust…

FURO: …

FURO: I guess… I could try to be a little less abrasive.

FURO: Even though I won't guarantee I'll be friends with anyone here.

KEIKO: Well, at the very least…

FURO: I know…

FURO: Anyways, I'm going to continue drawing.

FURO: You can do whatever.

KEIKO: Okay…

KEIKO: I think I might watch some more.

FURO: …

FURO: Whatever.

[He's so… silent. Like he doesn't want anything to do with anyone. I wonder what his problem is..?]

* * *

_==FURO'S REPORT CARD HAS BEEN UPDATED==_

ID: Furo Shirohashi / Super Highschool Level Sketcher

|||Furo wished to have nothing to do with Keiko.|||

Closeness Level: 1 == **Level Up!** == 2

* * *

_Music halts_

_*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*_

"_Attention, meow! It's nighttime! During this period, some services will be shut off, and the cafeteria will be closed for business! Sweet dreams, y'all! Meow!"_

**DAY SEVEN – 48 DAYS LEFT: COUNTDOWN RESUMED**

The alarm blared beside my bed, as I struggled to wake up. My mind was completely groggy – I didn't get much sleep last night. Upset over the lack of energy, I decided I might sleep in a little bit, but that probably wouldn't be the best thing to do today, since the countdown started again. I looked at the clock; sure enough, I was right. It read: 48 days left, countdown resumed. We have a little more than a month to figure out what was going on, and get out of here as soon as possible.

Monokuma said that every time we survive a class trial, a certain number of days would be added on to our countdown… I wonder how Monokuma can alter the area like that..? He can't control how the water bends into the glass, or whatever he said. I remember something about expanding glass, and I can't see how that would even work under his control. I guess I shouldn't think about it too much, seeing as the situation I'm in right now is already really surreal for the average person to consider. I leaned my legs off the side of my bed, and scanned the area below me to make sure that Mirai wasn't creeping up on me again. I got changed, and slowly opened the door, scanning the area again for the same reason.

I headed to the cafeteria, my floor making loud clops against the shiny glass. I could see the water below me as it flowed, and the fishes swam past. It felt sort of like my roles were reversed. I'd admire fish in their small aquariums my whole life, but now I'm the one in a fish bowl, playing a game for the fish to probably enjoy. It's a funny way to say revenge, really. Eventually, I reached the cold hard metal doors. As I reached out for the handles, Noah walked up beside me.

"Oh, Noah," I said, acknowledging his presence. "Good morning."

He didn't respond. He still must have been enervated about everything during the class trial – the lack of trust we all had really took a toll on him.

"…Good morning," he said, responding finally. He rubbed his face with his two hands. His normal demeanor had vanished. He looked like a different person. His clothes and face were the same, but there were shadows under his eyes that had formed from exhaustion, and he sagged a bit while walking. I felt bad about accusing him, since I should have known he didn't do it. He wouldn't have told me the information about the katana if he _did_ do it.

"I'm sorry for accusing you," I said, putting my thoughts on the table.

"Oh… please don't worry about it," Noah said, letting off a slight, yet tired smile. "I put that behind me already."

"Doesn't look like it," I said, with kind intentions. Noah chuckled for a split second, and shook his head.

"No, I guess you're right," Noah said.

The mood was silent for a second, and Noah finally opened his side of the door, pushing me back into reality. I followed, and I wasn't ready for what I saw next.

_Soundtrack: AoE Second Suite Movement 5P+3P_

A dog that meowed was standing on the big center table, wielding two big assault rifles.

"Meow! Welcome y'all! It's the Meowykins game show! Answer my question wrong, and you **die!**"

"What?!"

"I'm totally kidding, meow," Meowykins said. I let out a sigh, but still looked up with fear.

"Why do you have those guns?" Noah asked.

"Oh, these things? Yeah, Monokuma gave me them as a present. It's pretty cool, right? Meow!"

The awkwardness of everything shook up the room. As Noah and I waited, looking up at Meowykins' assault rifles, the others came in, each having the same reaction.

"W-what the hell?!" Ryoko muttered. "We've seen some weird shit, but seriously?!"

"W-we were supposed to have a meeting," Kirei said. "W-why are you here, Meowykins? Would you like to be a part of our little tea party..?"

"We are not having a tea party, little girl," Micky said.

"O-oh."

"No, Monokuma told me to keep watch over you. I heard there were sharks with laserbeams on the top of their heads!"

"Sharks with laserbeams on the top of their head?" Mirai repeated.

"Yup! Sharks with laserbeams on the top of their head!"

This went on for… a while. Meowykins was aiming his assault rifles at the glass window in front of us.

"U-um, Meowykins," Unmei stuttered. "What are you aiming at exactly?"

"I'm getting ready for the sharks with laser—"

"Right, right. Sharks with laserbeams on the top of their head," Kaito interrupted. "We get it."

Meowykins nodded, and kept his eyes lined up in front of the assault rifles. We all sat in front of each other, but we were silent, not wanting to say anything in front of Meowykins.

"So how's about that weather, y'all?" Meowykins asked.

"What weather? We're underwater," Furo said.

I looked at the end of the table, and Shougo was looking there. He looked dejected, completely out of energy and even sloppier looking than Noah. The others noticed my stare, and looked at Shougo with me. Shougo rubbed his eyes with his hands, and finally noticed us.

"What is it?" Shougo asked.

"…Nothing," I said. "You look a little tired."

"A little?" Ryoko chuffed. "Ha! He's completely brickhoused!"

Shougo let out a small sigh. Meowykins, trying to keep our spirits high, began to intervene.

"Meow! Please do not fight in front of the dog with the assault rifles in his hands!"

Ignoring Meowykins, Shougo decided to speak.

_Soundtrack: All All Apologies_

"I'm sorry for deceiving you guys," Shougo said softly. His voice was ragged and weak, and I felt a twinge of sympathy for him.

We didn't respond to his sudden apology, though. Shougo looked at us with hope in his eyes, but continued to stare down, realizing his rejection. This felt wrong… Shougo of course only was trying to protect his little sister. I might've done something similar. At the very least, I wouldn't reveal anything to the others.

"Well, I forgive you," I said, standing up. I reached my hand out, and Shougo looked at me, eyes widening slightly.

"No, that's okay," Shougo said. "I don't really like anything that stems from sympathy… forgiveness included."

"It's not sympathy," I protested. "I'm just… I would have protected her too, if I were her older sister. I wouldn't reveal my family away, right?"

Shougo looked at me, and I gave a smile. It seemed cliché, like I was in some lame shounen, but this felt right. Shougo needed forgiveness.

"…I forgive you too," Mirai said. "Yeah… Family… that's important, right?" Mirai suddenly sounded a bit sullen. Mirai and I both shook hands with Shougo, who looked a little taken aback.

"Thanks," Shougo said. "…I'm sorry, again… I know I shouldn't play with human lives like that."

"But you weren't really playing with them," I said. I looked at the others. They were all looking down, unsure of how to feel. We could all read the atmosphere. Meowykins was looking at us with confusion, but he shrugged it off, continuing to focus his aim on the vast ocean.

"Well, I guess Keiko's right," Kaito said. "Forgiveness is the one thing that leads to happiness. Of course, our happiness will be us getting out of here, right?"

"…I guess he's right," Takayashi agreed. "It won't be much help if we all were hostile to each other."

Everyone looked and smiled at Shougo. Shougo deserved forgiveness. It's how people learn, right? The happy mood continued, and we all began to laugh. For no reason, we just laughed. Shougo was smiling, which was nice. He must be devastated over the death of Yayoi. But if we get through this… it'll be fine. It'll be all fine.

_Soundtrack: Re DISTRUST_

"Oh please! You guys are so out of it!"

We looked at Micky, his legs on the table. He waved his hands for us to look away, but we continued our stares.

"What?! This fucking twat-face, twat, totally decided to try and kill _us!_ I mean, why should we forgive _him_ of all people?"

"H-hey! Micky!" Unmei snapped. "Think about what you're saying.

"Oh please! Don't bitch around me! Bitch around that goddamn mistake over there, please!"

Micky waved his hands with a feminine touch, and we all looked at Shougo. He did look a little shocked, but he was trying his best to maintain his composure.

"You wanna stop talking?" Ryoko asked. "Cause if you keep it up I can easily stick my foot up your ass!"

"I'm not scared of you!" Micky responded. "I got into this school as a goddamn bodyguard! Not like you weaklings can do anything about it, right? Ha! I mean, really..!"

Micky's sudden personality change indeed shocked the rest of us. I could even hear Meowykins chuckle behind me.

"There's no need for this hostility," Hikaru said, attempting to calm us. "We have all agreed to forgive Shougo!"

"You did, not me," Micky said. "Please don't lump me in with_ you_ guys, Jesus Christ!"

"Alright! That's it! This guy needs to be fucking neutered!" Ryoko yelled. She got up, and balled her fists, and lunged towards Micky.

"Come at me!" Micky said. He easily dodged Ryoko, and Ryoko swung numerous punches at him, missing each time. "I don't hit girls, no matter how burly they are!"

"Did you just call me burly?!" Ryoko yelled. "Jesus Christ..!"

"G-guys..! Please stop it!" Kirei stammered nervously. "We have to work together..!"

I looked at Shougo. His face was completely twisted. I couldn't imagine the guilt he must have been holding inside of him. The death of his sister probably pierced him, and now there's this brawl between all of us.

There was no way we were going to get out at this rate.

"You guys! Stop it!" Mirai demanded, puffing his cheeks. "Look out the window!"

Mirai pointed at the glass panes against the wall, and we all tilted our heads. My mind was blown at the sudden turn of events.

_Soundtrack: Monokuma Sensei's Lesson_

"Nyahahaha!"

Monokuma walked up behind us, holding building tools.

"Let's do this!" Meowykins yelled.

"Right you are!" Monokuma said.

My eyes were still mostly focused on what was actually happening outside.

Meowykins shot his guns rapidly. The glass broke and water piled in extremely fast. Red swirled through the water. We would have drowned, but Monokuma rapidly got wooden planks and replaced the glass as soon as it broke. It was amazing to watch, to be honest, as Monokuma was piling it on the glass with such extreme speed. He definitely looked like an advanced android, as Meowykins shot through the glass. I looked beside the planks, and I saw…

Someone wearing a deepsea diving suit. He looked like he was going to rescue us, as he had a badge on his helmet. There was a submarine a few inches back, but that was destroyed too. Bullets pierced through the man as I watched in horror.

"Yeeeeehaw!" Meowykins yelled. "Monokuma and Meowykins combo attack! Nyahahahaha!"

**(AN: Yeah the ending was weird as hell, wasn't it? I wonder how this will come into play with everything..? VOTE FOR FREE-TIME!**

**I'll be honest though I'm not 100% proud of this chapter, but I hope you like it anyhow...)**

**imageshack=.c=om/i/04mco2p**

REMOVE THE "="


	13. Chapter 2: Section 2 - Past Shadows

**(AN: Ugh for some reason I haven't been getting notifications on when you guys post reviews. I was left thinking no one cared anymore .-. JK of course, but I still got to look into that… One thing I realized is I never posted the place and time like I usual do, so you might notice that. About Free-Times, I'm not sure about them anymore. I mean, the closeness level will still exist and Keiko will bond with the others via storyline as you will see in this chapter, but Free-Time seems a bit strange to hold when they're supposed to be racing the clock in an effort to escape. But I'll find a way to do it – just know that the scripted Free-Times won't be every chapter, and it'll be in more of a random pattern. You can still vote for your Free-Time character though, since each chapter I imagine will have a minimum of two Free-Times, excluding the big bad last one of course.**

**Reven228 – I know. The ending was weird, wasn't it? **

**Kougari – Oh..! This ending..! So strange..!  
**

**Monobu – Sweet review! Thanks!**

**King okami – EVEN MORE WEIRDNESS! :D**

**MizunashiFuyuko – Yes… let us all take a moment to say our prayers. … … Anyways, thanks for the review! I love long reviews! No warning necessary! I embrace longness! (twss)**

**TheRoseShadow21 – AND YET AGAIN MORE WEIRDNESS! WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT DIVER?!**

**Ode 30 – Mirai is innocence incarnate, so he shouldn't creep anyone out, lol. Good thing he doesn't though! Thanks for the review!**

**Cartoonfanatic1 – Naw, you just didn't see Micky enough. He's "fabulous!"**

**Wmsm5ever – No review posted here is cheap! That sounds really preachy or something, but yeah, lol. Meowykins is a good shooter, don't you think? Thanks!**

**FateOblivion – It would be sad… wait, are we talking about the same person?)**

* * *

_Soundtrack: A Dead End to the Ocean's Aroma_

The bullets stopped firing. Meowykins got up and let out a large sigh, rubbing his belly as if he just had a large meal. Monokuma continued to quickly board up the glass so water would leak in, except that the water had already filled up to our hips. I could feel us all panicking, as I swished through the water to look past the window. My suspicions were confirmed just then. They had shot a man. The man had ventured up to our little glass bubble, in an effort to rescue us. Blood spilled out of his back like a gutted fish thrown into the water.

"Upupupupu!" Monokuma said, laughing as he struggled onto a floating table. "Nothing like shooting a helpless man to make a bear feel good about himself!"

"A dog too!" Meowykins exclaimed. "Meow!"

Everyone else came to my side and looked at the man, floating helplessly through the water, turning red around him. Before he sank to the floor, Monokuma disappeared in front of our eyes, and appeared outside of the walls, swimming towards the man and bringing him towards the entrance.

"W-why's he bringing him here?!" Kirei screamed.

"Because we can't have a man electrocuted out there! Duh!" Meowykins scolded."We need to preserve the body..!"

"Why?!" Yoshinori screamed. "It's bad enough you shot him to death!"

"Forget that..!" Furo said nervously. "Did you see Monokuma? He literally boarded up the windows as it broke..!"

"It wasn't his best work," Meowykins admitted. "As you can see, water is up to your hips."

"I-It's cold," Mirai shivered. He cuddled up into a ball and sank into the bottom.

"There is something wrong with him," Ryoko sighed. "Anyways, we should go to the entrance, you think?"

"That… that's probably best," Shougo said nervously. He didn't want to know what was out there... Neither did I. But we had to look.

I picked up Mirai from the bottom of the water, and then the fourteen of us headed out into the entrance hall. Opening the doors, the water spilled out into the hallways, and laughs could be heard from down the distance.

* * *

_**Location: Main Entrance Hall | Time: 8:32 AM | Chapter Two | 48 DAYS LEFT**_

Running as fast as we could, we eventually arrived at the entrance. Everything here was familiar. I remember being brought here and fainting… then being sent to my room. It was a disgusting memory that I couldn't erase – everything that happened here was. Including the dead man that lay down in front of me right now. Monokuma wrapped himself in a towel, and sat down, sighing.

"I'm bushed!" Monokuma sighed. "Someone grab the poor bear a glass of water please!"

"You're a stuffed toy!" Yoshinori snapped. "You don't drink water!"

"Hey! I take offense to that!"

My head rose nervously, shaking wildly as I leaned towards the body. His diving suit was stained with blood, but not to the point where the emblems and words stitched onto his suit was unreadable. I turned the body around, remembering that I saw some sort of logo on the back while he was floating. What was shown was a large red shield, with the words "Future Foundation" wrapped around it.

"What..? Future Foundation..?"

"Yup," Monokuma said, as he got up stretching. "That man is a member of the evil Future Foundation. Watch out! His dead body might eat you or something."

"Um, evil?" Takayashi asked. "How so?"

"Well, for one thing… they might have put a certain sixteen students into this underwater school, maybe?"

The words sunk in. It sank faster than a stone thrown into the ocean. These people were the people that threw us in here?

"That doesn't make sense," Noah observed. "Why would they come here then?"

"I don't know," Monokuma sighed. "They are a weird bunch of people."

"More importantly, if they locked us up in here, are they working with you?"

"…Nope," Monokuma replied. "Monokuma Co., and Future Foundation are completely unaffiliated. Unrelated. No relation whatsoever. Nope! None at all."

"T-then, what's going on?" Kirei asked nervously.

"Hmm, you could say, maybe that I'm saving you in a sense," Monokuma replied, laughing sinisterly.

His words made me grow angry. Saving us..? No way..!

"How is locking us up in an underwater coliseum, just so we can kill each other, saving us in any way?! What are you talking about, huh?!"

"Upupupu, so naïve," Monokuma laughed. "You really don't want to know what I'm saving you from… in fact; maybe death is better than what the Future Foundation will bring upon to you!"

"What do you mean?" Shougo asked angrily. "Nothing is better than death..!"

"Mmmhmm, take it from the lawyer man who tried to take us to death!" Micky laughed. "Honestly honey, get a grip! Get over yourself too while you're at it, you aren't some sort of fucking hero."

"Save your brawls for later," Furo snapped.

"I've heard of the Future Foundation before," Yoshinori said. "There's no way that they're doing this to hurt these people!"

"How do you even know?" Monokuma asked suspiciously. "…Well, I don't give a crap about that. What I do want to show you though is just who's under this diving suit…"

"What do you mean?" I asked. "Why is that important?"

"Upupupu," Monokuma laughed. "Sometimes, despair can be better than hope. Keep trying to get hope, and all you'll do is despair at the end… it's how things work. You gain hope in a relationship, and soon that person will be leaving you, and all you have left is sadness."

"What are you talking about?" Kaito asked. "People might grow sad, but it's those experiences that help us grow..! Everyone needs sadness and hope. It's a balance!"

"Save your preachings," Monokuma sighed. "You sound like a children's Bible, or fucking Naruto dancing around naked in Fiore. I don't need to hear you lecture about growing up… Meowykins!"

Monokuma pointed at Meowykins, and Meowykins ran up, arching his arm over his head. Monokuma pointed at the dead body next to us, and Meowykins nodded. Walking towards the body, he grabbed the wet suit, and opened it up.

There was… definitely a person in there. He was a little younger than I expected though. His brown hair was outstretched and balled up, probably to fit in the wet suit. He was… wearing a black jacket under the wet suit too. In between the black jacket, I saw a green sweatshirt, and a white t-shirt underneath that. That's all. He looked like… an ordinary person. Nothing special about him at all. Except he managed to reach us, right? That means something, I guess.

Though he definitely didn't look anything… "evil" like.

"Upupupu," Monokuma laughed. "This dead man was an important player to the Future Foundation, you know! It's good that he came over just to die himself."

"If he's an enemy to us, why did you kill him?" Mirai asked.

"Never said he was our ally," Monokuma said. "We just said that they put you in here."

"Are you telling the truth?" Unmei asked, clenching her teeth.

"T-this is getting really out of hand," Rhyssa said. "I'm already under too much stress as it is..! Just… cool it Rhyssa! Things are going to be okay!"

"Great… now the diva cracked under the pressure," Furo sighed.

Monokuma walked over to the dead body, and grabbed a machete from Meowykins, who pulled one out from his back. We all looked in horror as Monokuma separated the head from the man's body. We watched as Monokuma kicked the head aside like a soccer ball. We even watched Monokuma throw the dead body into the submarine, letting it rot in there for eternity.

"This man… Upupupu, how I have bad memories of this man," Monokuma started. "You see, he was one of my first little pupils. A man always obsessed about hope. I mean Jesus Christ, he wasn't as bad as that white haired pixie, but he was so corny, always talking about hope this, and hope that. Well, hope on this! This man you see was a part of a previous venture… where we locked up sixteen kids just like you into an all-out brawl!"

"You mean he's been through this before?" I asked. "You've done this before to other people!?"

"Oh, that's a different story," Monokuma laughed. "I don't want to let the cat out of the bag too early, you dig?"

"Was he the winner?" Takayashi asked, somewhat excitedly.

"Oh, he survived," Monokuma sighed. "It's a shame, but he's dead now anyways."

"Weren't you going to tell us his name?" Noah asked, interrupting the current flow of conversation. "If this man is so important, I'd rather we get things over with and be on our way."

"You look terrible," Monokuma observed, ignoring Noah's words. "You should take some ibuprofen."

"Silence," Noah said, returning to the personality that I knew. The hard brash one, that is. "Who is that man? Why are you making such a big deal out of him?"

"Oh, you don't know about him right now," Monokuma said. "But you will. The dead man lying down on the glass floor… his name is Makoto Naegi. Super Highschool Level Bad Luck, so I'd like to say… or as the other weirdo's call him, Super Highschool Level Hope."

Monokuma laughed wildly as we all watched, more confused than ever. "Hope is dead! We got the beacon of hope..! At last!"

_Music halts_

* * *

_**Location: Unknown | Time: Unknown | Chapter Two | 48 DAYS LEFT**_

_Soundtrack: Persona – Aria of the Soul_

…Why?

Why again?

"I thought you said I wouldn't be brought back here," I said.

"The old man didn't bring you here this time," Nanako said. "I haven't forgotten our promise. The one where I told you that I would help you on your journey."

"This is hardly a journey," I said, sighing. "It's massacre."

"Perhaps," Nanako said.

Nanako walked up, and put something into my hand. It was a file.

"Makoto Naegi," Nanako said. "I believe that man was found dead in front of you, no?"

"Yes," I said. "What of it? Why is he important?"

"I feel like it is quite useless to tell you about it now," Nanako said. "You will in fact have no memory of it later… But perhaps you'd like to read it for yourself anyways. For future reference."

"…I'd rather not."

"Suit yourself. This is only information to help you."

"I don't want to feel like something's missing," I sighed. "I already feel that way enough."

"I noticed," Nanako said, sighing. "Anyways, the old man did not lie. You will not meet with him for a while. However, perhaps we can… have these small visits with each other still."

"…So you can help me?"

"So I can help you."

"…Alright. I don't mind, as long as you don't bring me here during the middle of the day."

"Excellent," Nanako said. "I will bring you here when necessary during your sleep. Is that sufficient?"

I nodded, and Nanako smiled. I didn't want to accept her help. But I didn't have any other options. Sometimes, it's best to take a risky path. I didn't feel like Nanako was lying, either… and I hope that she wasn't.

"I will see you again soon," Nanako said.

A bright white light shined, and I fell down through it again, going through a familiar process.

_==NANAKO'S REPORT CARD HAS BEEN UPDATED==_

ID: Nanako / Role unknown.

|||Nanako made a promise to Keiko to help her along this "journey."|||

Closeness Level: 3 == **Level Up!** == 4

* * *

_**Location: Keiko's Room | Time: 7:00 AM | Chapter Two | 47 DAYS LEFT**_

"…Nngh."

My mind felt fuzzy as I woke up in my bed. I felt very faint as I got up, and stumbled around my room. The day before was extremely strange – discovering the dead body of someone who apparently was trying to kill us. Makoto Naegi… I felt strange. I wasn't sure why but... I felt uneasy about him. Why did he attempt to save us? I didn't get it. Outstretching my arms, I sighed.

"Oh yeah, I fainted," I said to myself. I remembered. I remembered fainting soon after Monokuma was reveling over the death of this Naegi person. I thought about those words very carefully. I fainted. I fainted… meaning someone had to carry me here..? Who carried me here? Of course, a few moments later, I had an idea already.

Cautiously, I checked my closet, under my bed, and even in the bathroom. There was no Mirai to be found. I guess he finally got the memo that I didn't want him to stalk me in my sleep, or maybe someone else carried me to my room. Sighing, I got changed like usual. Still dizzy, I creeped slowly out of my room, and I nearly screamed when I saw someone lying down in front of my door. If you had to take a guess, the answer would have been fairly obvious.

_Soundtrack: Soul Eater In His Mind_

Mirai was lying down in front of my doorstep. Like usual I guess. At least he wasn't in my room this time. Still a tiny bit annoyed, I shook him awake, and he snorted as he woke up abruptly.

"O-oh, master," he yawned, rubbing his eyes. "You're okay… that's good."

"Yeah," I said, sighing. "Thanks for not waiting in my room this time, I guess."

"You're welcome," Mirai said. "I remember what you said. I remembered that you didn't like me hanging out in your room, so I decided to protect you from the outside." Mirai nodded proudly to affirm himself.

"I guess that's okay," I mumbled. "I still think other people need help more than me though."

"...But, I don't want to protect anyone else," Mirai said. He sounded a bit confused. "I don't know why… but I'd rather protect you. It's strange… I think."

"It is," I said. "But I appreciate the thought."

Mirai nodded, and sat back down on the ground. He was much quieter than usual. From the position he sat in, I could tell that he was deep in thought. I sat down next to him, yet he didn't react. He continued to stare forward, biting his thumb.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

He shook his head, and buried his chin into his arms.

"I'm just thinking about something," Mirai said. "You don't need to worry about me, master."

"Are you sure?" I asked. "I could help, if you want…"

"It's nothing anyone can help," Mirai sighed. "I just… I'm thinking."

"About what?" I asked again. "You can tell me…"

Mirai looked at me. His eyes looked like those of a kicked puppy, and I was unsure of how to react to the whole thing. But he started talking, and his words were slightly ominous, but mostly depressing.

_Soundtrack: All All Apologies _

"Master," Mirai said. "What's your best memory?"

"…My best memory? Why?"

"I… I was just wondering," Mirai said. "…S-so?"

"Um, okay," I started. "Hmm… my best memory..? Probably when I won my first horse race… Yeah, I was really happy when I cut the ribbon. I was able to please my parents… I felt proud of myself for winning the gold medal. I think it was just the memory of starting my talent that I love so much. Why? What about you?"

"…Me?"

"What's your best memory?"

Mirai looked back down, twiddling his thumbs. "Um…"

Confused at his reaction, I asked again. He still didn't respond, and he only twiddled his thumbs in a more awkward fashion.

"…I'm sorry," he said. "I can't tell you."

"Why not?" I asked, concerned.

"…Master, do you remember lots of things?" he asked me.

"I guess so."

"…That's good," Mirai said. "Try not to forget things… especially those happy memories. Since those happy memories are treasures to you, right?"

"Of course," I said. "Um, Mirai, what's with these philosophical questions?"

Mirai didn't respond for a while, but spoke eventually. "You know… my talent, right? I can't remember it."

"That's okay," I said. "It could be because of how you got knocked out when you got here. Or maybe it was from shock. Memory loss from shock is common, I've heard."

"But…It's not just my talent," Mirai said sadly. "…I want to remember, but I can't. I can't remember anything about my parents, or my childhood, or my past life, or anything. All I remember is my name…"

He forgot most of his memories? He doesn't know who he is? I looked at him, stupefied. I had no idea he was carrying this burden.

"Then there's the fact that… I feel like I need to protect you," Mirai continued. "I don't know why… Hmm…"

Mirai's eyes squinted a bit out of sadness.

"…I want to remember though. Because I'm sure that I've had lots of good memories… with my parents and with other people. But I don't know what you have to do with it. And I don't even remember how to relate to anything. But I want to remember…"

Mirai sniffed, and I could feel his sadness seep into me. I felt bad about all the times I hit him or something along the lines of that… I guess, his attraction to me has to do with his memories?

"I don't want to disappoint you, but… I don't think I'm a part of your memories," I said. "The first time we met was when you took me to the cafeteria when I first got here."

"…That's even worse," Mirai sighed. "I'm confused… then why do I feel the need to be around you?"

"I-I'm sorry," I said. "I didn't mean make you upset. I just didn't want you to be disappointed later either."

"I understand," Mirai said. "…I want to remember really bad though."

"…Maybe it has something to do with how you were knocked out," I said. "It did something to your brain, maybe?"

"Will my memories come back?" Mirai asked hopefully. "Will I be able to remember things again? Like my past? Like my family?"

I stared at him sadly, but gave off a slight smile.

"I don't want to remember this place," Mirai said. "I-I mean, I don't want to forget you, master, but, if I just had memories of everyone here dying… I'd be sad. So, that's why I'm asking you, someone with lots of good memories… I'm going to remember something, right? I'll remember who I really am, right?"

I nodded, reassuring him.

"I'm sure eventually," I said. "We need to get out alive first though, right?"

Mirai nodded, and smiled again, showing the same smile that I used to know. "Right!"

I smiled back at him, and got up, preparing to leave. Mirai called out to me, and I turned around to acknowledge him, still unsure of what he had to say.

"Master," he called out. "When we get out, and I still don't remember anything about myself, you could help me look for my memories, right?"

I pondered this thought. We didn't know each other too well, and he was still mysterious. His lack of knowledge for the common world, and his lost memories... they were strange and pitiful. But I didn't want to make a promise I couldn't keep. Of course, telling him I couldn't now would probably hurt him more than ever.

"I don't know," I said, being truthful. "I don't really know what to think about the future, and what I'm going to do when we get out. But I promise we'll stay friends."

"…Okay," Mirai said, a bit disappointed. "I understand…"

I nodded, and smiled. I wanted to leave Mirai alone for a while – everyone needed time for themselves. As I walked away… I just pitied Mirai. I couldn't imagine being in his shoes and losing his memories. I probably couldn't live with that.

* * *

_==MIRAI'S REPORT CARD HAS BEEN UPDATED==_

ID: Mirai Minoshiro / Unknown talent

|||Mirai revealed to Keiko that he lost his memories, and the urge to protect her.|||

Closeness Level: 3 == **Level Up!** == 4

* * *

_**Location: Cafeteria | 8:26 AM | Chapter Two | 47 DAYS LEFT**_

_Soundtrack: Beautiful Morning_

I arrived at the cafeteria, for the daily meeting, and it seemed like I was late, as everyone else (excluding Mirai) had already arrived. It was pretty late, I suppose.

"Where have you been?" Micky asked. "Sweetie, you got to be quicker than that..!"

"I had to take a shower," I sighed. "I'm sorry for being late."

"We were just finishing up our meeting and breakfast," Unmei said. "We were talking about that Makoto Naegi person."

"From what Monokuma told us, the Future Foundation was the group that locked us in here," Noah observed, no longer looking like a mess. "However, somehow, Monokuma took control of the school, and instead of the Future Foundation taking a hold of the situation, Monokuma himself did."

"But then we thought that Monokuma couldn't do everything alone," Kaito said. "I think whoever is controlling Monokuma and Meowykins are the same person."

"The problem that awaits us right now is who Monokuma is working for," Hikaru said. "However, I do not think that is exactly necessary for our survival."

"So we need to find out who Monokuma is working for?" I asked. "Yeah, I agree Hikaru… I'm not sure that will exactly help us out somehow."

"Either way, what's decided right now is that Makoto Naegi was of little importance," Noah continued. "Monokuma described that man as an important player in the Future Foundation. As a result, that man, who was someone who put us in here, had to get us out from under Monokuma's control."

"He didn't anticipate the machine guns though!" Takayashi sighed. "Pew, pew, pew!"

I nodded in agreement with everyone, and headed to the kitchen to grab some food. Sitting down, the others prepared to leave.

"Hey, where's Mirai?" Rhyssa asked.

"He's a little depressed," I said.

"Hmm, is it just me? But I can't imagine that weirdo being depressed," Yoshinori said.

I hesitated for a minute, but decided that if Mirai wanted his memories back, it should be a bit of a group effort instead of him relying on one person.

"You know how he doesn't know his talent, right?" I asked. "That's apparently because when he got to this school, he lost all of his memories."

"That's why that little tyke's a confused mess?" Micky laughed. "Oh lord! Help me God! I've been put in with a bunch of weirdos!"

"You're the strangest one here!" Ryoko yelled. "A-anyways, if he lost his memories…"

"He just remembers his name," I said. "I feel bad for him."

"Y-yeah," Rhyssa said. "Maybe we should go talk to him?"

"Was wondering why that dude was so strange," Furo sighed. "I guess that's the reason, huh?"

Everyone nodded in agreement, and we all took a minute to think about Mirai's past. I'm not sure memory loss correlates to the fact that he has very little common sense, but it makes sense within the context of forgetting your talent. Mirai definitely wasn't the lying type, so I presume he doesn't remember anything about his family or childhood either.

"Well, I'm gonna go comfort the little guy," Takayashi exclaimed. "Besides, he needs to eat, or he'll turn into a skinny mess!"

"And I'll snap him in two," Micky joked. No one laughed.

"You're pretty close to Mirai, aren't you?" Rhyssa asked me. "I see him hanging around with you all the time. He even goes into your room at night…"

"Y-you saw that?!"

Rhyssa laughed. "Yeah. You should really lock the doors next time."

I sighed in relief. She didn't see Mirai break the lock apparently, which would have just added a lot of strange tension in between us.

"Anyways, if you want company, I can hang around for a while," Rhyssa said.

"Thanks," I replied. "You know, you're a lot different than you seem on TV."

"The network insists that I maintain a certain personality," Rhyssa replied, dejected. "I'm a little upset about it, since I don't really get to act myself. Sometimes, my TV personality even affects me in real life… I'm so stressed out all the time because everyone calls me a bitch and stuff, even though I'm really not."

"I know you're not," I said. "I admit though, I was a little intimidated when I first saw you."

"I could tell," Rhyssa said comfortingly.

I looked past Rhyssa and saw Micky filing his nails with a knife. He seemed to be a bit… high maintenance for a bodyguard, and I did find that to be a bit strange.

"He's eccentric, isn't he?" Rhyssa asked me. "You know, he walked up to me once and touched my butt."

"Are you joking?" I asked. "I mean, I could sort of imagine it."

"What a pain in the ass," Rhyssa sighed. "…Oh! Sorry, that was my TV personality."

I looked at her a bit funny, but wiped that confusion off. I talked with Rhyssa for a while. She really was different from her TV personality. She does have sporadic moments of rudeness though – probably what she said about the TV personality invading her real life. I couldn't imagine all the pressure she feels… and now even more so that we're stuck in this underwater cesspool and forced to kill each other, or race against the clock in an attempt to escape.

* * *

_==RHYSSA'S REPORT CARD HAS BEEN UPDATED==_

ID: Rhyssa Kaeda / Super Highschool Level Host

|||Rhyssa has to act a certain way in front of the cameras. Micky apparently touched her butt.|||

Closeness Level: 1 == **Level Up!** == 2

* * *

I finished my breakfast, and put my tray away, and prepared to leave with Rhyssa.

"So, what did we decide to do next?" I asked her.

"We need to find out how to actually escape this school," Rhyssa said. "We've had too much free-time lately, so we decided we actually had to find out how we're going to escape."

I nodded. She was right – we have been slacking off, because of the recent murder. But that can't faze us anymore… we're going to have to figure out a way to leave this place, this "school."

"Alright," I said, suddenly motivated. "Let's do it! Let's escape!"

Our newest resolve... stop the murders, and leave this school once and for all. Let's do it! Let's solve these mysteries!

_Continued in Chapter 2: Section III _

**(AN: Not a very exciting way to end the chapter, I realize… But next chapter will apparently see our heroes trying to find a way to leave this place..! Will they succeed? Anyways, TBH, I feel like my writing is dropping in quality as I make more chapters. I'm not sure if it's because I feel less motivated, or it feels like I'm writing the same thing each chapter… Or maybe it's because I'm rushing? I don't think I"m rushing but maybe I am. Who knows... Idk. Hopefully you guys will still like the story.**

**See you next time!)**


	14. Chapter 2: Section 3 - Horror Movie Day

**AN: So, I'm conflicted. This question is directed towards ****who is reading the second fan fiction that will tie in with this story.**** If you have not read it, you may skip to the review replying. A.K.A skip the long paragraph texts. **

**To those who have, I want to make it clear that FOR NOW, it is still "ongoing." However, I am thinking about cancelling it and making Alpha just ONE story and ONE storyline. Danganronpa Plus was thought out for a long time by me, but while I was writing it, it never turned out like I hoped. It never hit a prime IMO, and while it hasn't even finished its second chapter, I honestly didn't like the way I wrote the thing. I like Alpha MUCH better, and it isn't just the characters, but it's how I'm writing it as a whole. So here are a few scenarios. I'm listing the pros and cons of each scenario, and I want you guys to vote.**

**A – I will continue with my original plan. I will finish Danganronpa Plus and write it in tandem with Danganronpa Alpha, and the storylines will intertwine. This scenario means I can go with the path of my original intention. The pros would be that you get to see the story of how it originally is. The cons are that you may notice that writings in BOTH entities decline a little bit. Of course I will try my best to make both stories the best they can be, but you never can predict the future. It will also take a much longer time to finish both stories, and while finishing it will give me a greater sense of, "yes, I did it," it will probably make the stories last until… maybe summer. Who knows, it could obviously be earlier.**

**B – I will drop Danganronpa Plus as a whole. This scenario means that Alpha will have its storyline changed. Major events that will have happened for DR+ will instead be substituted for Danganronpa Alpha, and Alpha will be concentrated as one story. The pros are that I think I might be able to be a bit more consistent, and that I'll be able to get the story to you guys sooner. The cons are that I won't be able to get out the plot that I originally wanted to show you guys. There are some plot twists that I thought up that made me really proud, but I just realized how I wasn't sure if I could execute them well. That's why I'm thinking of alternatives and substituting them in for Alpha instead.**

**C – I won't drop Danganronpa Plus OR Danganronpa Alpha, but the two stories are completely non-canonical to each other. In short, Alpha will be canon to the main storyline (in my fan-fiction world) and Danganronpa -1, and Plus will be one of those shabby fan-fictions. The pros are, I can concentrate more on Alpha AND Plus at the same time, while I can also give out those twists that I wanted to with Danganronpa Plus. The negatives are that Danganronpa Plus will definitely be worse than I hoped, and those reading it may be a bit disappointed.**

**I'm hoping those who even haven't read Danganronpa Plus will vote too. It'll help me assess what I do. For the record, any responses that says "do what you think is right" will not be considered. No offense at ALL with that statement. I really want your opinions on this – this is more of a thing where the people themselves should vote, rather than the person executing it. Thank you, and we now return to your regular programming…**

**King okami – MORE NOAH?! YOU GOT IT DOOD. Thanks for the review though!**

**Reven228 – The chosen one is Monokuma. All hail Monokuma. Thanks for the review!**

**Demigod39cluesfan – Upupupu. Thanks for the review! Glad you like it!**

**Paku159 – To be honest I don't think he changed. But as the person who wrote his character that should be fairly obvious. Micky just didn't really develop until this chapter, and he is "fabulous."**

**Wmsm5ever – mmhmm if the rhys doesn't stck her foot up that jive wh1te ass there gunna be sum issues! Thanks for the review! **

**Monobu – Yes I did… Good thing it's not canon lmao**

**MizunashiFuyuko – Yeah, I can totally tell I'm rushing myself TBH. It's just one of my flaws in writing that really will never get cured… glad you still like it anyhow. **

**TheRoseShadow21 – Thanks! We'll see!  
**

**Ode 30 – Actually I'm not a huge fan. I find Natsu to be terribly annoying. I like it though and I was just trying to find two cliché anime shounens that emphasize on the POWER OF FRIENDSHIP! And you now Fairy Tail preaches friendship in like every episode, lol.**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Beautiful Ruin [summer salt]_

That's right… we were going to save everyone. I was going to save everyone… We were going to save each other. I walked down the glass hallway with Rhyssa beside me. We all decided to search for our first set of clues. Our first set of clues that would help up get out of this place! I was extremely hyped up, if I say so myself. Never before have I really felt so determined to do anything, but your attitude really changes when your life is on the line, but you think you can save yourself. The added extra of saving the others didn't hurt either.

"So, where should we start?" I asked Rhyssa.

"Um… let's see," Rhyssa said, letting out a sharp sigh. "You know what? I don't really know. I don't think it was really smart to go straight into this without really thinking about it."

"…Makoto Naegi," I said, suddenly remembering his death. "I think he's probably important, right? I know we discussed it and it probably wasn't, but it doesn't hurt to check."

"We have a good amount of time," Rhyssa agreed. "It definitely wouldn't hurt to have a look-see if we can find anything. Besides, we can even find out more about our situation, right?"

I nodded in agreement, and Rhyssa and I walked to a place where we could easily research something. The library was located on the second floor. The floor was still made of glass, but it was still very strong. Multiple large layers of glass could easily be seen layering on top of each other. As we opened the door and the smell of dust penetrated our noses, I looked below, and I could see the cafeteria there. It seemed Mirai wandered in there and was confused as to where everyone was, as he was sitting innocently at the table alone. Letting him think to himself, Rhyssa and I headed straight for the computers.

"Okay," I said, cracking my fingers. I turned on the power button, and expected some sort of response. The computer didn't turn on though, and the screen remained blank. I tried again, but got no different results. Eventually, I found myself rapidly pressing the power button to see if it would even turn on. "Is it even plugged in to the wall?!"

"Um, maybe it's broken?" Rhyssa said, a bit sassy.

"Y-yeah, this one, right?" I asked. I turned my head and looked at the computer next to me. Five computers (including the one I tried to turn on) were lined up across a table. Each monitor was a bit dusty, but they seemed to be in decent shape – to at least turn on that is. I got up from the seat in front of the broken computer and headed to the second one. I pressed the power button – still no response.

"Here, let me try," Rhyssa offered, leaning in and pressing the power button. No response. She sighed, and pressed the third power button. She made it to the fifth after trying out the fourth, but there was no response at all. There was just a blank screen with nothing on it. "…Okay, what the hell?"

"It could be because we're underwater?" I suggested. Rhyssa shook her head.

"The intercom would be broken to under that theory," Rhyssa said. "But Monokuma bids good night to us every day, remember?"

"Then why won't it turn on?" I asked, a bit frustrated.

_Soundtrack: Monokuma Sensei's Lesson_

"Upupupupu!" Monokuma said, appearing behind me. I was a bit startled, but I wasn't startled enough to act shocked. It was… typical to see this nowadays. "It won't turn on because each computer is broken! Yup! No Genius Bar here though!"

Rhyssa sighed. "So we can't access the internet for anything? Why can't you at least let us do that?"

"Why would you want to access the internet?" Monokuma asked. "For porn? I have Highschool of the Dead manga right here in this library."

"N-no!" Rhyssa protested, acting shocked. "We need to find out more about… uh… you know!"

"I don't know!" Monokuma snapped angrily, shaking his fist at Rhyssa and making punching motions at her leg. "I'm just misunderstood! I'm a misunderstood bear!"

"…So, how are we going to get out of here?" I asked him.

"How?" Monokuma asked, tilting his head. "You're going to do it. Build a yellow submarine with your **bear** hands… release yourself through the blood, sweat, and tears… and get out of here."

Rhyssa jumped out of her seat. "We have to build a submarine?!"

"Sure," Monokuma said. "Or if you like swimming, you can bust open the windows and swim out to the top."

"But you'll electrocute us," I said.

"…Upupupu, you got me!" Monokuma laughed. "I thought maybe you would actually do it, and I could have a nice fried Keiko for dinner!"

"Cannibilism..!" Rhyssa said, shocked. "You can't eat me! I am not one hundred percent natural! But uh, don't hold that against me please? The agency insisted."

"…Okay," Monokuma said. "Anyways, you must be wondering why I am here, no..? A sexy bear like me, hanging out with a bunch of humans like you. It's unthinkable! I know, I know, revel in my beauty please."

"We weren't wondering that," I said. "Or at least I wasn't. I thought you came here to mock us about the computers."

"Well, that too," Monokuma said, a bit disappointed. "But what kind of bear do you take me for..? I'm not all bad like that… In fact, I was made with the fluffiest fur. If you'd like to see, you can come by my room tonight and I'll show you!"

"Excuse me?"

"…Ooh! I'm doing it!" Monokuma sighed. "I'm doing it again! Thick, white gobs of stuffing!"

"Eww," Rhyssa sighed. "A-anyways, you came here, why?"

"Because, you safeway pornstar," Monokuma started. "Have you noticed what I've done for the first trial at all?"

"The first trial?" I asked. "No, why?"

"As you can tell, I locked up Shougo in that luxurious aquarium," Monokuma explained. "But what was the purpose for that?"

"…I don't know," I asked.

"Because you're a bitch?" Rhyssa added.

Monokuma growled at Rhyssa, but continued to ignore her. "No, no, no! Would Hideki have attempted to commit murder if Shougo wasn't helpless like that? He could have committed the perfect crime… In fact, Yayoi could have too, but she was a clumsy idiot who dropped her ElectroID like that."

"Get to the point already," I sighed.

"I'm saying… there's a reason why they killed each other," Monokuma said happily. "If it wasn't for poor Shougo who was slowly but surely being drowned to death, there was no reason for any of you guys to have actually murdered."

"So you're saying it was a motive?" Rhyssa asked.

Monokuma nodded. "Upupupu, I've opened up the auditorium for you guys! Every time you survive a trial, I'm not just adding days to your Timebomb! Nope! I'm making those days enjoyable, with no amenities and quality entertainment for you all!"

"…The auditorium?!" Rhyssa asked, startled. "What are you going to show us there?"

"…Upupupu," Monokuma laughed. "That's a surprise..!"

Rhyssa and I looked at each other, our faces doubtful. We didn't exactly want to be surprised, but I suppose it didn't look like we had a choice. We could investigate later. We still have a long way to go – we should take care of this nuisance first.

"By the way," Monokuma called out as he began to walk out of the library doors. "You might want to get Shougo. I tried to get him to come, but he wouldn't. I wouldn't want to waste a punishment on him. It's boring, you know?"

_Music halts_

Monokuma disappeared just like that.

"The auditorium, huh?" Rhyssa asked. "Well, I'll head off then. You should go find Shougo, he seems to like you the best out of us, I think."

"Okay," I said. "I don't want him to needlessly get killed either."

Rhyssa nodded, and waved goodbye. Somehow, I think I knew where Shougo was. I don't know if it was because I sympathized with him somehow… but I wanted to make sure. The place he would usually be would be the place that I check first.

* * *

_**Location: Shougo's Room | Time: 9:32 AM | Chapter Two | 47 DAYS LEFT**_

The door to the room was closed, and locked. Nothing flooded in from his room – just darkness. I knocked on the door, expecting a response, but I got none, of course. I turned the doorknob, even though it was locked, and tried to budge it open. No response again. I knocked twice, and called out.

"Yo, Keiko, what's up?" Ryoko asked, walking in my direction.

"I'm trying to get Shougo out of his room," I sighed. "…What are you doing here?"

"Monokuma asked me to bring him out. You too, huh?

I nodded, and continued knocking on the door.

"Shougo… I don't know what you're doing, but you need to come out."

Shougo didn't respond.

I sighed, and knocked three times. I could hear footsteps and a heavy sigh come in as he opened the door, still looking like a wreck.

"Hello," he said, crestfallen.

"Monokuma says we need to go to the auditorium he just opened up," I said. "I know you're depressed, but this is your life on the line too."

"I…I don't really know," Shougo said sadly.

"Come on," I sighed. "I'd hate to see you die too."

_Soundtrack: All All Apologies_

As I protested with him, Shougo began to shift his eyes away. Curious, I followed them to inside the room, where there was a faint bright light shining from a candle. There was something next to it – highlighted by the illumination of the light. Shougo noticed my gaze, and twiddled with his fingers, showing his discomfort. Eventually, he gave up trying to stop me and let me enter the room. Slowly, I walked inside and sat beneath Shougo as he stood in front of the candle, and a picture of Yayoi next to it. It was where she died – it had been cleaned up. Walking in at first glance, you couldn't even notice that a murder happened. You had to be there to believe it.

"…It's a tradition," Shougo said. "It's been done by my family. If a loved one passes away, or more so in this case, a family member, then we would hold a candle to their picture… make all their favorite food… and bow down in front of them. But of course, I don't have any food with me right now."

"Shougo…"

"I was a lawyer," Shougo said. "My parents… I loved them, but I could see why Yayoi hated them. They pushed me and her to the extreme every day to pursue in our passion. I think it was because… they were just average people who found out that they had offspring with talent. So, I studied every night, and made myself smarter. I became a whole different person than I could have been. I was athletic, but I couldn't participate in sports. I didn't go out with friends that much. So the only person I thought I could protect was Yayoi, the only person I really actually cared about in life at that point."

I looked at his solemn face, as his eyes began to water. Shougo continued his mourning, as he kneeled in front of Yayoi's picture.

"I'm sorry," I said, realizing that I had completely barged in. "I was being insensitive, wasn't I?"

Shougo shook his head, lifting his head up.

"Why did she have to go and leave me?" Shougo cried silently. "I was always alone in that house with no life because of my parents – she was the closest person to me... and she died because I couldn't protect her... But on the other side, there's you guys too…"

"What's done is done," Ryoko said, doing my best to comfort him. "Yayoi died because she made the mistake of killing Hideki instead of trying to subdue him. There wasn't anything you could do."

Shougo nodded, as if he understood, but for some reason, I felt like he didn't… but all the while, even if I wanted to leave him alone, I couldn't. There was too much at stake right now for me to let him be alone in here. I didn't want to think about what Monokuma could do. I stood by him for a few minutes, and after time passed, he finally stood up, brushing his pants, and stared intently at me.

"I was thinking all this time," Shougo said. "My new resolve… it'll be to protect you guys. I couldn't do it with Yayoi, so I'm going to save everyone. I'm going to get everyone out of here…"

I nodded. "We all want to do that. You aren't alone."

Shougo nodded back, and turned the lights on. Shougo smiled at us in an effort to say thanks, and I smiled back. He's going to be fine… He just needed to get some things out of his system.

* * *

_==SHOUGO'S REPORT CARD HAS BEEN UPDATED==_

ID: Shougo Arisu / Super Highschool Level Lawyer

|||Shougo made it his new resolve to protect and save everyone.|||

Closeness Level: 2 == **Level Up!** == 3

* * *

"Let's go then," Shougo said. "We need to meet Monokuma at the auditorium, right?"

I nodded, and we shook hands. I could feel the sadness of his hand – it was cold and frail. But I knew that it would soon warmth. Ryoko wrapped her hand in his too, and I could tell she was thinking the same thing.

Getting caught up in the moment, I didn't realize when the clapping started. Someone was standing by the door, clapping his hands together, laughing.

"My, my," Micky said, his voice rising to a feminine tone. "I didn't realize that you guys… were such _romantics!_ I feel like I'm watching a scene straight from the biggest, most cliché romance anime ever! Ha! Give me a break..!"

"What do you want?" I asked, my tone growing darker.

"Oh, well, after you two wouldn't show up at the auditorium, Monokuma began to get antsy… so he called me in to come and get you guys! But I see that I'm interrupting something, so maybe I should leave and let you guys face Monokuma?" I glared at him, and looked at Shougo, his face visibly growing even grimmer.

"Oh, lighten up, sweetie," Micky sighed. "I was only telling a joke. I'm not so bitchy as to leave you guys here. Besides, our incest queen right here already was locked up in that aquarium for who knows how long, so I'll be nice and let you two live a little longer."

"It's obviously not like that!" Ryoko snapped.

"Yes, yes, whatever you say dearie," Micky chuckled. "Oh? What is this?" Micky turned his head to the candle and Yayoi's picture. Micky began to laugh devilishly, walking over to the memorial, and flaunting his hand around it.

"What the hell is this?" Micky asked. "Whose abortion is _this,_ may I ask?"

Shougo charged in for Micky, but I did my best to restrain him. It wouldn't go any good to fight…

"Excuse me!" Micky yelled, acting insulted. "I do not like getting in fights! Let's not go there, alright? Sonny boy, will you just get your ass over to Monokuma's auditorium ordeal? I don't want to hear him bitch about himself to me anymore! It's a team effort, you know?" Micky laughed his shrill laugh, and began to step on over to the doorstep.

I patted Shougo's back, trying to calm him, and I led him towards the door, but Shougo didn't stop there. He clenched his fists, and pounded the walls, as he began to let out his fury at Micky.

_Soundtrack: New World Order_

"What the hell is your problem?!" Shougo screamed.

Micky laughed. "What's my problem? Honey, what's yours? Want me to strain the shit out of your cornflakes, or are you feeling a bit better now saying that? I mean Jesus! Think of something better when trying to recover from that!"

"That's enough..!" Ryoko yelped, trying to stop them. "Quit fighting!"

"I…I said that I'd protect everyone," Shougo stammered, looking at his hands. "I said I'd protect everyone from people like you.." Shougo walked to the aquarium, and smashed the glass with the katanas that had been replaced nearby. Taking a shard of the glass, his eyes hellbent, he rushed over to Micky. "I won't let the others tolerate you anymore!"

Micky and Shougo began to fight. Shougo wasn't lying when he said he was athletic, but Micky was a bodyguard, so it's not like Micky didn't do anything about self defense.

"Idiot!" he screamed, laughing. "Why didn't you just come at me with a katana?"

"Shut up!" Shougo screamed, as he landed a punch.

"S-stop it..!" I said in a muffled tone. I rushed towards them and attempted to pull the two apart from each other, but Shougo didn't let go. He charged once again, but Micky ducked under his arm. Micky ran into the illuminated room as Shougo ran after him. "WHAT GOOD IS IT TO FIGHT WITH EACH OTHER?!"

_Music halts_

I ran into the room after him, trying to stop them, trying to get them to calm down. And what I saw was pure evil. Evil in its purest form. Micky was laughing, and holding something in his hand.

"…W…why?" Shougo asked.

He was kneeling on the ground, as Micky was staring at him from above laughing. He had taken the candle and lit Yayoi's picture – the only thing Shougo had to remember her by.

"…Whoops!" Micky laughed. "My mistake! I accidentally picked up this big waxy candle over here, and leaned it over Yayoi's picture!"

"…What the hell?" Ryoko muttered to herself. "T…that's not even mean. That's just pure bullshit..!"

Shougo didn't react. He grew expressionless for a second, and looked as the ashes of Yayoi's picture fell onto his hands.

"I think I won this little battle," Micky said, sighing. "You guys should come… we wouldn't want little Monokuma to come over here and shake his tailfin at us, right?"

Micky left the room, leaving Ryoko, Shougo and I alone. I took another look at Shougo – his face still blank. He clutched the ashes in his hand, and got up.

"Let's go," Shougo said, expressionless.

"B-but –"

"That's not important right now," Shougo said. "I…I can deal with it. I'm not that weak, you know?"

Shougo forced a fake smile, but his face was still low to the point where neither of us could see his eyes. He left the room, and Ryoko and I took in what just happened. It was a pure hellish environment.

"H-hey…" Ryoko said, snapping me out of my funk. "We should go too… we can talk about it with Shougo later if we need to."

I nodded in agreement. "Okay. Let's go."

And with that, we followed after Shougo to the auditorium. I couldn't keep my eyes off of him, worried about what he would do next. And all I could do was watch.

_Music halts_

_Soundtrack: Monokuma Sensei's Lesson_

"Yo, yo, yo!" Monokuma exclaimed as we walked in to the auditorium. Everyone had already taken their seats – including Micky. I couldn't even take my eyes off of him while I looked on in disgust. "Ho? Has something a bit hostile happened between you three and Micky? I could feel the stares!"

We didn't respond, and Monokuma just sighed, pulling down a projector from the glass ceiling.

"So what's this new motive?" Kaito asked.

"Is it a movie?" Yoshinori asked, excited.

"Ding, ding, ding!" Monokuma exclaimed. "It is, Yoshinori! A slam bang action filled horror movie, directed by Monokuma himself!"

"A horror movie?" Mirai asked, tilting his head. "Why?"

"Because," Monokuma said. "Haven't you ever heard the sob story of someone killing because of a movie they watched? I mean, the excuse of, 'it was because of the movie,' I mean, that's too common to pass by, you know?"

"None of us will actually fall for that, you know," Takayashi sighed.

"I-I'm not very good with horror movies," Kirei stammered.

"They ain't so bad," Furo reassured. "Don't like being scared either, but it's all good."

"Meowykins!" Monokuma yelled.

Meowykins arched his arm over his head, and brought out the projector. A bright light flashed from the lens, and the screen began to light up with the actual movie, as the movie began to play…

* * *

_Soundtrack: Monomi's Practice Lesson_

...STARRING…

The Cast of the Underwater School of Mutual Killings...

…DIRECTED BY…

Monokuma himself…

…SPECIAL THANKS TO…

Meowykins, the catdog whore…

…and every horror movie ever made…

…_**SLASHER!**_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Another OST – The Story of Yomiyama_

_**(AN: You will notice the writing here is a little eccentric, but as it is a movie, it was made that way to be intentional. I hope the style for it works..! BTW, play a little game with yourself… what horror movie references can you spot?)**_

…_It was a dark and stormy night… The kids were all alone in the house alone… _

"_I need a game," said Gamer Boy._

"…_Lay off with your games!" snapped Soccer Girl._

_The TV screen illuminated into the night… a masked killer will unleash himself to the others tonight... and these sixteen students will face sudden death…_

"_I'm going to get a soda," Gamer Boy said._

"_D-Don't leave us!" Scared Maid Girl begged. "I want everyone to be here..!"_

"_You are too scared all the time, honey," Bitch Bodyguard said. "It's going to be fine."_

"_See ya," Gamer Boy said._

_Gamer Boy walked into the kitchen… it was still raining outside, and lightning boomed into the room… he could hear screams coming from the living room as he reached in and felt around for a can… but the masked killer had already arrived._

_Taking a knife from the kitchen counter… he pinned Gamer Boy to the wall, watching as he fell dead._

"_Hey, what's taking you so long?" asked the First Canon Victim USB Girl._

_The killer unsheathed his clawed hands… being a phantom, he was able to manipulate gravity in many ways. He slashed her across the stomach and sent her flying across the room._

_Back in the living room…_

"_I hear screaming," said Cowgirl._

"…_I want a soda too," said Cliché Airhead._

"_Then go get one," snapped Gruff Tattoo Woman._

"…_Okay," said Cliché Airhead. _

_Minutes passed by as Cliché Airhead headed into the kitchen… Ooh… it was scary indeed. The Phantom was wandering around the house, watching the students in the shadows…_

"…_Cliché Airhead was gone for a while," noticed Stoic Painter Boy. "Maybe I should go check on him."_

_Stoic Painter Boy headed into the kitchen… "Hmm. I want a soda too." Stoic Painter Boy opened the fridge door, and to his shock, Cliché Airhead's head awaited inside. Stoic Painter Boy screams as Phantom chased him into the garage. In an attempt to escape, Stoic Painter Boy crawled through the doggie door… but to his shock! The Phantom had turned the garage door on! The garage door lifted, and it all came crashing down on Stoic Painter Boy as he was crushed to death..! O! Thy Horror!_

"_What was that?" asked Fake Slut Host. _

"_It appears it was from the garage," said Professional Police Pooper. "Perhaps we should go check?"_

_Professional Police Pooper and Fake Slut Host got up from the sofas, leaving the others behind to watch the movie._

"_Can I come?" asked Cowgirl._

"_No," the two said in tandem. "It's too dangerous..! STAY BEHIND!"_

"_O-okay," Cowgirl said, taken aback. _

_The two walked up to the roof, for who knows why! O! But this is a slasher film! Teens do anything to get killed! For these two were beheaded by the masked killer as soon as he came..!  
_

"_They were gone too long," Cowgirl said immediately after their death. "I'm going to go check on them."_

_So Cowgirl did! And guess what happened next! She went up to her room, and oh my! The phantom exited the TV, and killed her..! Even Pretty Poetic Boy came after her, and he died too! O! Thy horror!_

_And that was a horror movie, my friends... the Phantom left… and no one could find him ever again._

_**the end.**_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Monokuma Sensei's Lesson_

"Upupupupu!" Monokuma laughed. "How's about that? Pretty good horror movie, right?"

"…That wasn't even ten minutes long," Furo said.

"And I'm not a Fake Slut Host!" Rhyssa protested.

"Hey! Don't look at me!" Monokuma said defensively, raising his hands. "I only got the idea from every horror movie ever made, you know?!"

Takayashi nodded. "Mmm…mmm. I can sort of relate to that, yeah. Every horror movie does have that."

"But you're missing something," Mirai said. "Something… very important. I can't put my finger on it though… Hmmm…. HMMMM…"

"Aha! I know!" Yoshinori exclaimed. "You're missing the steamy sex scene!"

"Oh poop," Monokuma sighed. "It looks like I forgot something after all…"

"…Noo, that's not it," Mirai protested.

"Either way, that's your motive!" Monokuma laughed. "So? How's about it? Doesn't it just make you bloodthirsty thinking about it? Don't you want to kill so badly?"

"…No, not really," I said.

"Should we want to?" Unmei asked. "Because, I don't really…"

"Honey, honey, you have to do better than that," Micky said, sighing. "Even I could kill better."

"…Well, I guess not now," Monokuma sighed. "But you'll soon want to kill… you'll soon be hellbent on murder! Upupupu! I can't wait to see it!"

With that, Monokuma disappeared within the blink of an eye. But it was a bit strange… it was just a movie. Why would we want to kill each other over a movie?

"I'm confused," Mirai said. "Um… what might he be planning?"

"Either way, we should stay on guard," Noah said. "We do not want there to be any conflicts in the future for not taking Monokuma's warnings seriously."

"Yeah," Takayashi said. "I hope we don't do anything bad though…"

"Don't worry," I sighed. "This was a waste of time. He just wanted to slow down our research. But tomorrow we're getting back to it. We're getting out of here for sure!

We put our hands in together, and hardened our resolve. This was what we were going to do. We would win!

"I knew it..!" said Yoshinori suddenly. "He _was_ missing a sex scene!"

**AN: So the motive was a horror movie?! Wtf, right? Please leave a review, and thanks for reading! Hope you liked!**


	15. Chapter 2: Section 4 - Psycho

**AN: Still going to hold off Danganronpa Plus for a while. Without a doubt I'm going to finish Alpha's second chapter first before DR Plus, so just hold on a little. (That's of course if I decide to continue it.)**

**Demigod39cluesfan: IKR? It's amazing..! Nothing I've ever seen before :O**

**Reven228: Wow, nice! I tried putting in some cliché horror slasher flicks but it's cool that you got them all!**

**Wmsm5ever: Yes, so many questions… hopefully Rhyssa will live though… who knows, who knows..? Don't worry, I'm not scared, it's just that I personally don't like the story as much as I want. **

**Ode30: I know… I still like Fairy Tail though, never said I hated it, lol. Aww man? Was the motive THAT obvious? Jk, jk… or am I? DR+ is still currently technically ongoing… I'm leaning to the side of dropping it though. There would have to be a pretty clear distinction of people wanting me to continue it.**

**Kougari: Green is NOT a creative color! Thanks for the review..! **

**MizunashiFuyuko: Woo! We'll find out soon! I like how you were able to mention who was involved. But the people that were excluded don't have a direct relationship with the motive. I felt it would have been WAY too forced if I tried to include everyone. **

**King Okami: Thanks for the review! O Micky you so fine…**

**FateOblivion: That's fine, that's fine! Glad you're reviewing today though! Of course I spoiled the killings… jk I didn't. Or did I? **

**TheRoseShadow21: Thanks! Confusion is common, but things will hopefully make sense soon…**

**Mr. Monobear and Ibuki Mioda: OMG I haven't seen you in forever, how are things? Thanks for the review!**

**Celes Ludenberg: Not a problem at all! I'm really happy to hear that people outside of FanFiciton are enjoying this, so thank you for that! (P.S. Mucky is a perfect nickname!)**

_**Location: Keiko's Bedroom | Time: 7:00 AM | Chapter Two | 46 DAYS LEFT**_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Re Beautiful Morning_

"Good morning, you bastards!" boomed the intercoms. I woke up with a slight jolt, and was displeasured again to be woken up by Monokuma. "It is now morning! Rise and shiiine! Let's make today the best day it can be!"

Sighing, I got out of bed, dressing up and everything, and left my bedroom in a hurry. The others and I had to meet up in the cafeteria to discuss a plan. So far though, the only things that Rhyssa and I discovered were that we had no contact to the outside world, as far as we knew. This meant that we definitely wouldn't be able to get more information on Makoto Naegi.

I sighed, and opened the door, and headed immediately to the cafeteria.

* * *

_**Location: Cafeteria | Time: 7:11 AM | Chapter Two | 46 DAYS LEFT**_

I opened the doors, and to my surprise, Furo was already there waiting. He was early – usually he would be late for a meeting like this. Being the only one there, I walked over and sat across from him. He nodded to greet me, and I nodded back, but that's the only greeting we exchanged as we waited with an awkward mood filling the air. He seemed to be normal, though.

Soon after I walked in, Noah came in as well, punctual as always. He definitely recovered from his slump – I just hoped there wouldn't be any hostility between him and the rest of us.

"Good morning," Noah said, tipping his hat.

"Good morning, Noah," I said. "Did you sleep well?"

"I did," Noah said, satisfied. "It's been a while since I have been able to get a good night's rest… however, I believe that we can escape somehow."

I nodded, and agreed with him. We all thought the same thing. Waiting a little while longer, I made small talk with Noah before Shougo also walked into the room. He nervously wandered into the room, extremely nervous and fidgety. Was he okay..?

"Morning," Noah said to him. "Are you… alright?"

"Y-yeah of course I'm alright," Shougo said. "W-why do you ask..?"

"…Well, it seems like you are… a bit hyperactive today," Noah said. "Are you sure you aren't ill?"

Shougo nodded and gave a psychotic smile. "I-I'm fine! Woo!"

"Is this about the picture?" I asked.

"Oh yeah, the picture… Micky burned it, huh?" Shougo laughed.

He was definitely out of it today.

"W-well, either way, perhaps we should let you go back to bed," Noah said. "We don't want you to…faint in the middle of our investigation."

"I'll be fine," Shougo asserted. "I'm a lawyer, right..?"

Still worried, we decided to let Shougo be. As we talked, Mirai and Rhyssa walked into the cafeteria together. Mirai looked a little discouraged, but he seemed to be okay.

"Good morning!" Rhyssa said happily. "Ready to investigate..!"

"…Hmm," Mirai said.

"G-good morning, you two!" Shougo said. His hand began to twitch a little bit as he grabbed it with his other one. "How are you two doing today? I'm fine, as you can see…"

We shook our heads at Rhyssa and Mirai to warn them about Shougo's erratic behavior. They seemed to have gotten the message, as they left Shougo alone as he continued to shiver in his seat. Soon, Kaito and Unmei walked in together. Kaito was holding Unmei by the waist… for some reason, it seemed like she was a bit jittery herself… Kaito looked nervously at us as he sat Unmei down, facing her away from everyone. Kaito than walked over to us, and sat down, sighing and visibly tired.

"Something's gone wrong with her," Kaito said. "I don't know what but it's getting to be a little annoying."

"…She's hopping in her chair," Mirai noticed. "Do people do that for fun..?"

"N-no, I think they're mentally troubled or something," Rhyssa said. "Shougo has been acting like that this morning too though… I wonder if something happened between him and Unmei?"

"Maybe," I said. "Either way, if something like that did happen, we should probably keep them away from each other…"

"Yeah," Mirai agreed. "…Anyways, I never did get that soda…"

"That was from a movie," Furo sighed, jumping in. "Don't be so strange like usual… please."

Mirai sighed and leaned his chin against the table, and shut his eyes. Soon, he looked to be fast asleep. We looked at him rather strangely, but we decided not to stare at him much anymore. I took a look at Unmei and Shougo… they were both jumping up and down in their seats… it seemed a little too strange for it to be coincidence.

"Are you guys okay?" I asked, calling out to the both of them.

They both gave me a thumbs up, and I reluctantly dropped the subject.

"So, about Makoto Naegi," I said. "I don't think we'll be able to find out any information about him at this point…"

"Why?" Mirai asked, his eyes still closed.

"Well, Monokuma apparently cut off all of our ties with the outside world," I sighed.  
"So I don't think there's a way to find out more information about him."

"Is he really of importance?" Noah asked once more. "I know we keep thinking if we find out who Makoto Naegi is, we will be able to solve one mystery of the school. But is it really necessary for us to pinpoint everything?"

"Monokuma said we just needed to escape," Kaito started, "but I don't know how we're going to do that... he's not giving us any hints, or anything."

"Hmm..." Rhyssa sighed. "So then what do we do..?"

"...I can't figure it out," I sighed back.

_Soundtrack: Monokuma Sensei's Lesson_

"Then why don't you ask your old pal, Monokuma?"

We all stared at Monokuma who appeared from nowhere as he stood up at the lunch table, stepping on Rhyssa's food. Rhyssa gave a distasteful stare as Monokuma continued to walk on it.

"Y-you can tell us?" I asked.

"Sure," Monokuma said. "If murder happens, that is..!"

"W-we already told y-you... no more m-murders are going to happen," Shougo stammered.

"Yeah, yeah," Monokuma said. "They all say that, and then slice! Someone is killed."

Mirai puffed his right cheek and stared at Shougo and Unmei. They were both extremely jumpy, which clearly confused Mirai.

"...Hmm..." Mirai said, thinking to himself.

"What is it?" Noah asked.

"Nothing," Mirai said.

"Oh, don't be shy!" Monokuma said. "Come on, tell us what you're thinking! Or should we wait for the show to begin?"

"What show?" I asked. "What's going on..?"

"Upupupupu!" Monokuma laughed.

_Soundtrack: Monokuma's Extracurricular Lesson_

As he laughed, the doors to the cafeteria slammed open. Micky was carrying a knife, and he was dressed in all black. I stared at Unmei and Shougo, and noticed two things. One, they stared immediately at Micky with a hostile intent in their eyes, and two, they were also wearing all black, something I didn't notice before. Shougo began to spaz out, and he got up, carrying a kitchen knife, and lunged towards Mirai.

"W-what the?! Shougo?!" I screamed.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Noah yelled.

"I-I don't know..!" Shougo stuttered. "I... I don't know! I have to kill someone though!"

"What?!" Furo snapped. "That's crazy talk..! You've gone psycho!"

Mirai dodged the attack, and beckoned for all of us to go to the kitchen. Monokuma decided to follow, claiming that if he were stabbed, he'd have to kill whoever did it. All we could do was watch for a while. Unmei, Shougo, and Micky were all staring at each other, knives in their hand. They were analyzing each other, making sure the time was right to lunge.

"W-we can't just watch them," I said. "We have to tie them up, or something!"

"Okay," Mirai said. "Is that what you would like, master?"

"H-huh? I-I mean yeah, but -"

"I will follow suit then," Mirai said. He noticed rope in the kitchen, and picked it up. He jumped out of the cafeteria window, and ran towards Unmei. He knocked the knife out of her hand and pushed her into a chair, tying her up. He cut the rope and made a knot, trapping her in the seat. Micky laughed devilishly as he lunged towards Shougo. The knife plunged into Shougo's shoulder, and he let out a scream. Mirai kicked the knife out of Micky's hand and did the same thing he did with Unmei, which was impressive considering their height differences. Finally, he tied Shougo up, who couldn't fight back because of his injured shoulder.

Finishing everyone off, he nonchalantly walked back to us, and sat down on the floor, tired.

"W-what was that?" Noah asked, flabbergasted. "You knew how to do that, huh..?"

"Sure I do," Mirai said. "Though, I don't know why of course..."

"You mean your memories?" Rhyssa asked.

Mirai nodded, and stared up at Monokuma.

"Why are they all so itchy to kill people?" Mirai asked.

"I don't know..." Monokuma said sheepishly, clearly lying.

"Tell us," Furo demanded. "I don't want to die here, you know!"

"...Upupupupu, don't you want to find out on your own?" Monokuma asked. "This big juicy secret is really only fun when you see it in person!"

With that, Monokuma disappeared, and we were forced to act upon his words. We left Mirai and Noah to watch over the others, and we split up in the halls.

I headed towards the library, and as I nervously crept the halls, I saw Yoshinori and Hikaru fighting each other.

"You guys too?! What the hell?"

Yoshinori was surprisingly nimble as she dodged Hikaru's attacks. Considering Hikaru was well-built and a convicted felon, I didn't expect Yoshinori to last long.

"Yoshinori! Stop it!" I screamed.

I didn't know what I was going to do... I couldn't stop them, since I wasn't exactly athletic... I ran into the library and pounded on the glass floors. Mirai and Noah looked up, and I wrote help on four pieces of paper in large letters and spread them out on the floor. The two of them immediately ran out of the library, as I was forced to hurt Yoshinori and Hikaru for the time being.

I threw desks, chairs, and books at the two of them to slow them down. It only worked when it got in there way. Yoshinori would just push it towards Hikaru, and Hikaru would just break things like those in half. Yoshinori used a wooden plank that had come from the desk and attacked Hikaru, though Hikaru easily dodged and pushed her down.

"Hikaru! Quit it!" I yelled.

As I tried to stop them, Noah tackled Hikaru and handcuffed him to the library door.

"I always keep spares," Noah said as he locked Hikaru. Mirai tied Yoshinori up with the last of the rope, keeping her in the hallway.

"T-thanks," I said.

Exhausted at everything, I leaned up against the wall. I was getting tired...

"No problem," Noah said. "I suppose we should find the others then. We shouldn't just leave the others to fend for themselves."

"I think it's safe to say that everyone except for us are trying to kill each other," Mirai said. "We should hurry."

Noah nodded, and he ran out. Mirai looked at me – I was visibly exhausted, and I was leaning on the wall, my eyes closing.

"Are you okay?" Mirai asked, concerned.

"I'm fine," I sighed. "I'm just a bit tired, is all. I didn't sleep well, and I had to do all of this, you know?"

Mirai looked at me with heavy concern in his eyes, but reluctantly turned away.

"O-okay," he said. "I understand... just be careful, okay? Master?"

I nodded, and Mirai ran towards Noah. I stared at Yoshinori and Hikaru who were both struggling. Yoshinori was wriggling, trapped in the rope, and Hikaru was scrambling to get out of the handcuffs.

I sighed, and closed my eyes, falling asleep... I couldn't help it... I was just so tired...

* * *

_Soundtrack: Persona – Aria of the Soul_

"Welcome," said a familiar voice.

I looked up and saw Nanako. She was sitting on the other side of the table, writing something rapidly on her clipboard.

"...What is it?" I asked.

"I apologize in advance," Nanako said. "Normally it is not safe to force you like this when you aren't asleep. However, I did not forget my promise."

"Your promise to help me?"

"...There's a reason I'd like to help you," Nanako said, going off in her own world. "It is not just me being a random samaritan to you... I really do, genuinely wish to help."

"Why is that?" I asked.

"...Well, if I tell you now," Nanako said nervously.

"Anyways, so what? You called me here so you can help me?"

"Yes. You see... you have encountered your second predicament. Your first, would be your friend being locked up in that aquarium."

"Are you talking about motives?" I asked.

"Correct. Monokuma has supplied a motive, and in return, someone is killed. For example, Yayoi wished to save her brother's life. So she murdered. And now comes the second turn."

"Are you saying... someone's going to die when I wake up?"

Nanako nodded, and my eyes widened. My memory of that place shined bright into my mind. I didn't want anyone from that place to _die..._

"Who?! Who is it?" I demanded.

"That is something you will need to find out yourself," Nanako said. "Forgive me, as I can not tell who is going to die."

"Then how can you –-"

"I can sense death in your world," Nanako said sadly. "It's a depressing power... but it's true."

"...World?" I asked. "What world?"

Nanako shook her head. "Perhaps I have said too much. Besides, don't you wish to find your dead friend?"

My eyes widened again. Nanako didn't leave me any time to process this information, and she snapped her fingers. As my world turned to white, Nanako mouthed two words to me. "The Library."

And I whited out.

* * *

_Music halts_

...The library...

...The library?

What's in the library..?

I got up, my mind fuzzy. Yoshinori and Hikaru was still trapped, luckily.

"K-Keiko," Hikaru said. "Thank God..."

"What?" I asked.

"H-help us, Keiko!" Yoshinori stammered.

I stared at the two of them... they weren't trying to kill anymore? I sat down, and thought to myself... what was going on?

Worried, I ran straight into the library. It was like that time with Hideki... I felt like I needed to go in Shougo's room. Except this time, it was the library..!

I searched through the whole library, checking through the shelves. Running through the library, however, my foot got caught in something, and I fell on my face.

Taking my foot out, I looked down.

..

….

.

.

.

…

.

Micky was sitting there dead.

_Continued in Chapter 2: Section 5._

**AN: I sort of purposely rushed this one. I wanted to get straight to the investigation and the trial, and this chapter was REALLY just showing what the motive did, so in terms of importance, it's not heavy. So while I know that this chapter sucked utter suck, the actual murder has come, and the actual investigation and trial is also coming soon. Like I said this was just an exposition chapter so I hope you didn't come out feeling disappointed. Micky's dead though. Hope you enjoyed the fact that Micky died, lol..**


	16. Chapter 2: Section 5 - SAT Investigation

**AN: Aww Micky died. You guys seemed a lot sadder than I thought you'd be I thought you guys would be like "omg yay the fab-fab bitch just died." I mean this is good I like these reactions better lol. I forgot to mention last chapter that I'm on Winter Break right now, so updates will be A LOT more frequent from now on. It ends 1/1/2014 though... so be wary of that too if you're expecting it for a long time. But until then there's a high chance for daily updates, or updates every two days or so, unlike my last schedule where I would wait like a week before updating again. So keep an eye out in your notifications, yeah? :D**

**Reven228: IKR. Maybe it had something to do with Micky being so annoying. (jk it doesn't)**

**King Okami: Thanks for the review! Hope you like the investigation!**

**Demigod39CluesFan: Aww all of these characters are your fav aren't they? ^^ (jk, thanks for the review!)**

**MizunashiFuyuko: BTW I just learned what "OTP" stands for. Yay! Lol I don't know crazy right? That's a good SHSL title, :P Thanks for the review!**

**Celes Ludenberg: Lmao! Thanks for the review! Glad to see some Nanako suspicion goin' on...**

**Monobu: I'm planning on putting characters that didn't have Free-Times or already died with their own Free-Time chapter when the story ends, so while far away, Micky's time isn't completely dead yet. **

**Kougari: Okay lets just flat out say it... don't hug me I'm scared. Lol, thanks for the review!**

**Ode30: Yup. Lol, he died. I'm not so sure it can be anyone though...and uh I have some DR+ news but that's coming next chapter.**

**FateOblivion: Which is everyone except for four people lol. Thanks for the review!**

**TheRoseShadow21: Yeah, makes perfect sense! Thanks for the review! **

* * *

_Soundtrack: OST 1-11 Re: Despair Syndrome_

I was taken aback. I looked down from the library, and I saw Micky sitting on that chair. I clenched my fists on the glass floor. Micky was sitting there dead. I looked and I saw Shougo and Unmei, their eyes widened. They were shaking in their chairs that Mirai tied them into, with pure fear. I couldn't think about anything else right now.

I thought that we promised... me and the others had made a promise. We made a promise that we would never kill another person ever again... right? So why... why did someone have to kill Micky? I know that Micky wasn't the best person to get around with, but no one deserves death. Especially in a situation where it can kill everyone else. We needed everyone's cooperation to survive. But...

I screamed at the top of my lungs.

"K-Keiko?" Hikaru called from the door. "Are you okay?"

I ignored him and continued to scream, pounding on the glass floor below. Minutes passed...all I could concentrate was the dead body right below me. I was helpless. Sitting there alone, even more minutes passed... eventually I felt a hand lightly tap my shoulder.

"Master?" asked the voice. "Are you okay?"

"M-Mirai," I said, sobbing. I hugged him tightly as I cried into his shoulder. "Micky's dead..! Someone killed Micky!"

"W-what?" Mirai said, shocked. "B-but..."

As I held him, Noah ran in throughthe library doors after Mirai. Mirai looked at the body below me, and his face turned grim. Noah did the same, and he fell down in disbelief.

"...No way," Noah said silently. "It happened again..?"

_*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*_

"_Attention!" _played Monokuma's voice from the intercoms. _"A body has been found at the cafeteria! We will be holding a class trial soon, so please investigate to the best of your abilities!"_

My mind blanked, and I remembered that day, not so long ago. We were in the courtroom, and we had to kill Yayoi, our friend who was just protecting her brother. And Hideki, who had been killed by her hands. We had to do that again..?! But why?!

"D-did I just hear that right?!" Yoshinori yelled from the hallway. "Did Monokuma just say another dead body was found?! Does that mean..?!"

"H-hurry, we have to free them," I said.

"What if they're still murderous in intent?" Noah asked.

"T-they're not!" I snapped. "I woke up after fainting, and they were perfectly fine! N-now hurry up, we have to get to the cafeteria..!"

Noah nodded, not protesting, and he freed Hikaru from his handcuffs while Mirai and I untied Yoshinori from the rope.

"S-sorry," Yoshinori said as we untied her. "I don't know what came over me."

"It's fine," Mirai said. "We should hurry though."

Mirai's voice was dark and scary, from contrast to his usual playful demeanor. What was going on in his mind? I'm sure it was just like the rest of us though... we didn't want anyone else to be murdered. That's what it was. I'm sure of it...

Hikaru stood above us, and he looked below from the cafeteria.

"We should hurry," Hikaru said. "We need to get to the body."

I nodded. "We... we have to do it again, huh?"

"Yup, yup, yup!" Monokuma laughed, popping up from the library. "Congrats you guys! It seems like you have committed your second murder! OMG! Laugh out loud!"

"...Shut up," I said, my teeth clinched together.

"...Upupupupu... did I make Keiko-san upset? Well, anyways, even if I did, you can't touch me, can you? Or I'll be forced to kill you right here..."

Monokuma laughed his devilish laugh, and he disappeared. Tears streamed down my face, but I nodded.

Micky wasn't the best person... I admit it.

But he was still human, and we were in a dire situation.

He didn't deserve to die – no one deserves to die.

And I would avenge his death... just like I did last time..!

**==INVESTIGATION START!==**

_Soundtrack: Ikoroshia_

_**(****an: let me make it clear this bgm is one of my favs from the game. xD)**_

_Beep! Beep!_

KEIKO: Huh..?

MIRAI: Hmm, I think it's coming from your pocket... I think.

KEIKO: Oh... it's my ElectroID.

…

…

…

_Monokuma File #2 has been added._

KEIKO: Huh? Monokuma File..?

NOAH: Do you remember? It was his version of an autopsy report... it has details of the murder here.

KEIKO: Oh, okay... let's see then.

|Victim: Micky Storm

|Cause of Death:

|Micky was slashed in the throat with a sharp object, causing him to suffer from an extreme loss of blood.

|Time of Death: 8:25 AM

|Additional Details:

|N/A

KEIKO: ...He died from a slash to the throat..?

MIRAI: I don't see anything sharp down there. It looks like the killer cleaned it all up, huh?

NOAH: They were hoping to have created the perfect crime...

YOSHINORI: S-so we need to go down there, right?

HIKARU: I shall go with you...

YOSHINORI: R-right, okay..!

YOSHINORI: You guys are coming, right?

NOAH: I will accompany you as well.

MIRAI: …

MIRAI: Master?

KEIKO: ...Me?

MIRAI: Yes, are you staying?

KEIKO: …

KEIKO: Actually, there was something that I wanted to check out.

YOSHINORI: Huh? What?

HIKARU: Did you notice anything?

KEIKO: ...It's just a hunch. I'll be down there as soon as I can.

HIKARU: ...Alright.

NOAH: We will be right below you. Make noise if you need help.

KEIKO: Okay.

**== Monokuma File No. 2 has been added as ammunition. (1)**

MIRAI: So what did you want to see?

KEIKO: ...Something in the library. Something was odd.

MIRAI: ...Okay. Let's go then.

KEIKO: Right.

* * *

_**Location: Inside the Library | Time: 8:42 AM | Chapter Two | 46 DAYS LEFT**_

[I took Mirai to the center of the library.]

MIRAI: ...So? What is it?

KEIKO: Hmm...

KEIKO: Oh, there it is.

[I pointed towards a glass hole. I remember tripping on it.]

MIRAI: Ooh, a glass hole.

KEIKO: It's pretty big. I'm surprised that I didn't fall down on it.

MIRAI: You must've been lucky. It's big enough for a whole chair to fit through.

KEIKO: I'm not sure it's related to the case though.

MIRAI: Maybe it's not?

KEIKO: ...I guess we'll find out.

**== Glass Hole has been added as ammunition. (2)**

KEIKO: So I guess we should meet the others down at the library now.

MIRAI: Okay.

MIRAI: ...Master, are you okay?

KEIKO: Yeah, why do you ask?

MIRAI: It's just that I see you fainted a lot...and you said earlier that you fainted again.

MIRAI: So I'm worried...

KEIKO: Oh, y-yeah, I'm fine.

KEIKO: I don't know why I'm fainting so much though... you're right about that.

MIRAI: ...Okay...

[For some reason, he seemed upset.]

KEIKO: Anyways, we should head down.

MIRAI: Right.

_**Location: Cafeteria | Time: 8:50 AM | Chapter Two | 46 DAYS LEFT**_

[Everyone is here..! They must have heard the announcement.]

RHYSSA: AHH! Micky..?!

FURO: S-someone killed again..?

RYOKO: What the hell! This is ridiculous..!

UNMEI: Unnngh...

SHOUGO: I...I couldn't do anything...

NOAH: Everyone is here... I have also untied Shougo and Unmei.

KAITO: ...U-Unmei, are you okay..?

UNMEI: Y-yeah... don't stand so close next to me though, pervert.

KAITO: O-ouch... though, that's not our biggest concern right now?

UNMEI: ...I'm sorry... you're right.

KEIKO: Anyways, Noah, did you find anything?

NOAH: No... it's very strange.

NOAH: I have looked around, yet I cannot find any traces of blood, save for the area around Micky.

NOAH: For a cut wound to the throat thar large, I suspected that there must have been a trail of blood somewhere from where the murder weapon is.

KAITO: On top of that, there's also literally no weapon at all around here.

KEIKO: Really..? Nothing sharp at all?

KAITO: ...Well, there's a textbook.

KEIKO: A textbook..?

HIKARU: Behind Micky's body, we have discovered a text book.

HIKARU: It seems like while the killer was cleaning this up, they missed cleaning up the textbook.

MIRAI: Is it related to the murder?

YOSHINORI: It has to be.

YOSHINORI: See? There's blood on it.

YOSHINORI: But it wasn't the murder weapon.

TAKAYASHI: W-why not..?

YOSHINORI: The Monokuma File says that the cause of death was a slice to the throat.

YOSHINORI: This was probably used to knock him out or something.

TAKAYASHI: What if they used the book cover..? The edges are pretty sharp.

YOSHINORI: But... there's no blood on the edges.

TAKAYASHI: Oh. Right...

**== Textbook has been added as ammunition. (3)**

KEIKO: ...Hmm... if the murder happened here, that means Micky was still restrained.

TAKAYASHI: So..?

KEIKO: Well, that means someone here had to have witnessed the whole thing...

UNMEI: I'm sorry.

UNMEI: I was closing my eyes the whole time... I was too afraid to look at the murder.

UNMEI: But I saw someone come in.

KEIKO: What did he or she look like?

UNMEI: Well, it was definitely someone short.

KIREI: S-short?

UNMEI: I can't say whether or not it was a guy or a girl...

UNMEI: He was wearing some concealing clothes...

UNMEI: But the bodyframe of everything was a little petite too.

KIREI: A-ah..!

KIREI: It wasn't me..! I'm skinny and petite, but I would never kill..!

UNMEI: C-calm down, I believe you..!

KEIKO: ...Hmm, I wonder if Shougo saw anything..?

UNMEI: ...Oh, about him...

UNMEI: I think he's really depressed.

KEIKO: Well, clearly.

UNMEI: No, but like, he's really depressed now.

UNMEI: I think he's really upset... he saw another person get killed right in front of him.

KIREI: I...I feel bad for Shougo.

KIREI: B-but... we're going to catch the killer, right..?

KEIKO: Right.

KEIKO: Let's do it...

**== Unmei's Testimony has been added as ammunition. (4)**

[I... I don't want to look at Micky's body...but I guess I have to.]

KEIKO: …

KEIKO: E-eww... whoever cut his throat cut it deep...

KEIKO: The blood is barely dry.

MIRAI: Well, his only about twenty minutes ago, right?

KEIKO: I guess it was...

KEIKO: I still can't believe that this happened though...

**== Micky's Throat Injury has been added as ammunition. (5)**

KEIKO: ...His head has some blood on it too...

MIRAI: Yeah...

MIRAI: Must have been from the textbook.

KEIKO: Why would the killer have tried to knock him out though? He was already tied up.

MIRAI: It probably was because Micky was a bodyguard.

MIRAI: He could have defended himself either way, right?

KEIKO: Well, then in that case, he could have defended himself from being knocked out...

MIRAI: ...oh.

MIRAI: Well... I. Don't know.

KEIKO: ...Thanks.

KEIKO: Could he really have protected himself though?

MIRAI: Yes, why not?

MIRAI: It's not like he couldn't stand and hit whoever killed him with his butt or anything.

KEIKO: ...Excuse me?

MIRAI: I mean, have you seen those comedies?

MIRAI: Like, they're stuck to the chair, but they stand up and flail around with it.

MIRAI: Adapt to your environment... that's what all the great sensei's say.

KEIKO: I doubt that's what they mean by it.

MIRAI: ...But, isn't using a chair taped to your butt using the "environment?"

KEIKO: W-well, first off, a chair isn't really part of the environment...

KEIKO: And second, it wasn't "taped to his butt."

MIRAI: …

MIRAI: Oh! Right, I tied him, didn't I?

KEIKO: …

[I worry about him... though I guess I was crying into his shoulder moments ago... so we're both to blame.]

**== Micky's Head Injury has been added as ammunition. (6)**

**== Micky's SHSL Talent has been added as ammunition. (7)**

FURO: Still, aren't you guys still confused..?

MIRAI: Well, I'm still a _bit_ confused.

KEIKO: About what?

FURO: The motive...

MIRAI: I split up with Noah and I found Kirei and Takayashi fighting each other.

KIREI: E-eeh! Please don't talk about it..!

FURO: We have to, Kirei...

MIRAI: By fighting each other, I mean trying to kill each other...

TAKAYASHI: Not one of my proudest moments, I admit it...

TAKAYASHI: But I dare you to go telling that around to people!

MIRAI: Anyways...

MIRAI: At about the time Micky was killed, they stopped fighting...

KEIKO: ...Really?

KEIKO: Well, when I woke up, Hikaru and Yoshinori weren't fighting again either.

MIRAI: And also, I don't know why that we were the only ones who weren't fighting.

KEIKO: By we...

KEIKO: You mean, me, you, Furo, Noah, Rhyssa, and Kaito, right?

MIRAI: And that means that Hikaru, Ryoko, Takayashi, Kirei, Yoshinori, Micky, Unmei, and Shougo DID want to go on a murder spree.

KEIKO: That's... a lot of us, isn't it?

FURO: So... does that mean someone who was on a murder spree was the culprit?

KIREI: P-please..! Drop the subject..!

MIRAI: ...Also, I would like to mention that Kirei was winning the fight.

TAKAYASHI: Huh?!

KIREI: O-oh, I was..?

KIREI: W-well, that makes me feel a little better...

TAKAYASHI: You mean it makes you feel a little better that you almost killed me?!

KIREI: I'm sorry..!

KEIKO: Uh... you guys..?

**== Return to Reality has been added as ammunition. (8)**

**== Murderous Intentions have been added as ammunition. (9)**

KEIKO: ...Then maybe we should check out the actual motive again?

MIRAI: Yeah... good idea.

MIRAI: We might be able to find out something from it.

KEIKO: Okay...

KEIKO: Then let's just...

_Soundtrack: AoE Second Suite Movement 5P + 3P_

MEOWYKINS: No, no, no! You cannot pass!

MEOWYKINS: Access denied! Access denied! Bark!

MIRAI: Ooh! You just barked..!  
MEOWYKINS: …

MEOWYKINS: No, no, no! You cannot pass!

MEOWYKINS: Access denied! Access denied! Meow!

MIRAI: But you did it right that time...

KEIKO: Anyways, why won't you let us watch the motive again?

MEOWYKINS: Y'all should've been payin' attention, instead of askin' me to go set the whole damn thing up again! Meow!

KEIKO: B-but, you just need to pop in the tape, don't you?

MEOWYKINS: No! Liar!

MEOWYKINS: Meow! A lot of time an effort goes in setting it up!

MEOWYKINS: I have to find the correct camera reel!

MEOWYKINS: I have to recharge the battery for the projector!

MEOWYKINS: I have to clean the lens!

MEOWYKINS: It's a hard days work for a dog like me! Meow!

KEIKO: But –-

MEOWYKINS: No "buts!"

MEOWYKINS: I refuse..!

MEOWYKINS: Y'all want to see it again, huh?

MEOWYKINS: Well I'm only a slave to Monokuma! I won't slave myself over with you too! Meow!

KEIKO: …

MIRAI: But... pretty please?

MEOWYKINS: No!

MEOWYKINS: Not at all! Noooo!

KEIKO: ...With a cherry on top?

MEOWYKINS: No cherries! No ice cream sundaes! Y'all better learn your place! Saying "please do this" to a person like me... I may not be Monokuma but I can still get a gatling gun and blast you to the seventh dimension!

RHYSSA: ...Please..?

[...What is that seductive voice..?]

[..! Rhyssa is showing some... skin, huh... Um...]

MEOWYKINS: …

MEOWYKINS: …

MEOWYKINS: ...Okay.

MEOWYKINS: I'll set it up for you.

MEOWYKINS: But it'll take a while.

RHYSSA: Thank you, Meowykins..!

MEOWYKINS: And Rhyssa-chan has to be there too!

RHYSSA: No problemo! I'll be right there!

RHYSSA: Don't worry, sweetie..!

MEOWYKINS: ...Meowza!

MIRAI: Did he just say "meowza?"

KEIKO: O-oh Rhyssa... how I feel bad for you.

MEOWYKINS: J-just go investigate something else, okay..?

MEOWYKINS: I'll be back with the movie ready in a jiffy..!  
RHYSSA: I appreciate it..! Teehee! *wink*

MEOWYKINS: Meowza!

MIRAI: He said it again.

[Is Meowykins purring?!]

MEOWYKINS: I'll be right back..!

_Soundtrack: Ikoroshia_

KEIKO: ...He disappeared.

RHYSSA: ...God, what a pain in the ass...

KEIKO: T-thanks Rhyssa...

RHYSSA: Yeah, no problem.

RHYSSA: I overheard you guys trying to watch the motive again, so I came by and unveiled my feministic charms that I learned from the TV show.

KEIKO: T-thanks, I guess.

MIRAI: Feministic charms..? Was that feministic..?

RHYSSA: W-wha..? Was that feministic..?

RHYSSA: ...Why... you..!

MIRAI: Ow!  
[Rhyssa thumped Mirai..!]

MIRAI: That hurt..!

MIRAI: ...R-Rhyssa is so mean..!

RHYSSA: Of course it was feministic!

RHYSSA: I don't just flaunt aruond everywhere with my skinny legs for everyone to see!

RHYSSA: You're lucky you even got to see it! Jeez... was it feministic? Of course it was!

KEIKO: Um...I think Mirai didn't know what you meant by feministic charms.

RHYSSA: ...Eh?

RHYSSA: Oh...

RHYSSA: ...Oh, right. Memories... whoops!

KEIKO: Yeah...

RHYSSA: A-anyways, we should go look someplace else!

RHYSSA: Woo! Look at that water! Pretty fish, too...

KEIKO: Well, we need to find out where the murder weapon is... or what it was.

RHYSSA: Maybe it was like a personal knife that the killer kept.

KEIKO: Maybe...

MIRAI: W-wahh... that really hurt...

RHYSSA: Oh, get over it...

MIRAI: *sniff*

KEIKO: Anyways, where can we search for the murder weapon?

NOAH: It has to be close by, right?

KEIKO: Oh, Noah. Did you hear us?

NOAH: Yes. And I believe I can pinpoint the location of where the weapon is.

RHYSSA: R-really?

RHYSSA: On what terms..?

NOAH: Well, let us consider this.

NOAH: The killer took the time to clean up the murder weapon, but left the textbook...

NOAH: The killer must have been in a hurry, no?

KEIKO: So... it has to be closeby? Are you sure?

NOAH: I am quite sure.

RHYSSA: Hmm...

RHYSSA: Oh!

RHYSSA: The trash room is nearby here!

KEIKO: Really? Are you sure?

RHYSSA: Yeah... maybe we can figure out something by searching there?

KEIKO: M-Maybe.

RHYSSA: Yeah! Let's search there!

MIRAI: ...Wah...

RHYSSA: Okay... really? I didn't even thump you that hard!

* * *

_**Location: Trash Room | 9:28 AM | Chapter Two | 46 DAYS LEFT**_

RHYSSA: Eww...! It smells so bad in here!

MIRAI: Smells like...

MIRAI: Like shit, right Keiko?

KEIKO: I-I didn't even say anything...

MIRAI: Anyways...

MIRAI: This is a cruddy trash room.

RHYSSA: How can a trash room be cruddy?

NOAH: Well, in terms of construction, Mirai is correct.

NOAH: All that's here is piled up trash.

NOAH: There's not even an incinerator around here.

RHYSSA: ...So, are we going to have to scavange through the trash?

RHYSSA: That's sooo disgusting..!

RHYSSA: Why would we do that?

NOAH: Let's just do it, regardless.

RHYSSA: Urgh...

KEIKO: Um, actually, I don't want to ruin my gloves, so...

MIRAI: ...Oh! I have an idea!

MIRAI: You can take them off! That way, your gloves will be nice and safe!

KEIKO: But my hands will be tainted too!

NOAH: Well, just go searching anyways!

NOAH: We need to find something that resembles a weapon, or any evidence!

RHYSSA: ...I... I think I ate that piece of corn over there for dinner last night.

[I spent time going through the trash... disgusting.]

KEIKO: Ugh... I can't find anything.

RHYSSA: Me neither...

NOAH: I cannot either.

MIRAI: I can't find anything too...

MIRAI: All I found was a bloody piece of glass...

MIRAI: ...By the way, why are we searching through the trash?

NOAH: You find a bloody piece of glass?

NOAH: That could be the murder weapon..!

MIRAI: ...Oh right. Micky died.

RHYSSA: How do you forget something like that?!

MIRAI: Anyways, what's important is that we found the murder weapon.

KEIKO: We "might have" found the murder weapon.

MIRAI: Right. Okay.

**== Piece of Glass added as ammunition. (10) **

NOAH: …

RHYSSA: …

KEIKO: …

MIRAI: …

RHYSSA: ...Okay, we found a potential weapon... why are we still searching?

KEIKO: I don't even know...

KEIKO: ...Oh, speak of the devil. I found something strange...

RHYSSA: Urgh... What is it?

KEIKO: It's a... it's a cape.

NOAH: A...cape?  
KEIKO: It's a cape, and a mask.

KEIKO: Or, more so, it's paper that's been drawn and cut out like a mask.

KEIKO: The cape probably belonged to the killer.

NOAH: Why is it related to the case?

KEIKO: There's blood on the cape, and a little bit on the mask too.

KEIKO: I think maybe the killer was wearing this?

KEIKO: Though I don't know why...

RHYSSA: Probably to conceal their identity?  
KEIKO: R-right.

KEIKO: I do remember...

_UNMEI: I can't say whether or not it was a guy or a girl..._

_UNMEI: He was wearing some concealing clothes._

KEIKO: This must have been what the killer was wearing.

MIRAI: ...Right...

**== Cape and Mask has been added as ammunition. (11)**

KEIKO: Well, I've had just enough trash as I could take.

RHYSSA: Me too...

RHYSSA: I know we're investigating Micky's death, but this was still as unpleasent as it could ever be.

NOAH: Well, at least we have found two useful things of information...

KEIKO: Yeah...

KEIKO: ...Huh?

NOAH: What?

KEIKO: ...I see something else by the door.

NOAH: By the door..?

KEIKO: ...It's like a piece of a paper.

NOAH: Blood?

KEIKO: No, but it looks like it's been ripped out.

RHYSSA: That must have been used to make the mask then.

MIRAI: Impossible.

RHYSSA: H-huh? Why..?

MIRAI: The killer was in here to dispose of the evidence, right?

MIRAI: Why would there be a ripped piece of a paper in here?

MIRAI: If the killer was making the mask before hand with paper, there wouldn't be ripped paper in here.

MIRAI: What I find more interesting is the fact that there's a needle here.

RHYSSA: A needle?

MIRAI: Yes.

MIRAI: A needle and a pencil.

NOAH: That needle... it's a needle used for making tattoos?

MIRAI: Mmhmm.

MIRAI: ...Maybe I should get another tattoo...

KEIKO: But why would there be a tattoo needle in the trash room..?

MIRAI: I think the paper might be unimportant...

MIRAI: Or maybe it is...

MIRAI: But this needle has blood on it too, so it's probably important.

KEIKO: ...Right.

[A bloody needle..? Seems suspicious...]

**== Ripped Piece of Paper has been added as ammunition. (12)**

**== Bloody Needle and Pencil has been added as ammunition. (13)**

KEIKO: Well, if that's it, then maybe...

_Soundtrack: AoE Second Suite Movement 5P+3P_

MEOWYKINS: …

RHYSSA: O-oh...oh. Oh! Meowykins... hello there...

MEOWKYINS: R-Rhyssa-sama, the projector has been set up...

KEIKO: Sama?!

RHYSSA: Why thank you, Meowykins... I appreciate your hard work!

NOAH: What is she-?

KEIKO: Shh!

RHYSSA: Hmhmm... I look forward to seeing it again.

[Total lie!]

MEOWYKINS: M-meow...

MEOWYKINS: Meowza...

MIRAI: Oh! That's the third time.

KEIKO: E-er... are we done here?

KEIKO: Can we go watch the movie now?

MEOWYKINS: Yes... yes you can.

MEOWYKINS: ...I hope I didn't put in the wrong movie.

MEOWYKINS: You see, I played **two** movies while at the auditorium... meow...

MIRAI: …

MIRAI: Wait... if you were turned on my Rhyssa...

MIRAI: *gasp!* You're a boy dog!

RHYSSA: Uh, how do you know the term "turned on," but question my "feministic charms?"

MEOWYKINS: ...Anyways...

MEOWYKINS: Enjoy the show, meow!

[Meowykins disappeared...]

KEIKO: Well, that was weird...

RHYSSA: Y-yeah... I never want to act that way again.

RHYSSA: C-can we go now?

KEIKO: Yeah, we should.

RHYSSA: Thank you...

_Soundtrack: Ikoroshia_

_**Location: The Auditorium | Time: 10:01 AM | Chapter Two | 46 DAYS LEFT**_

[We arrived at the auditorium... when we went in, Meowykins was waiting for us, and he turned on the projector.]

NOAH: Why are we rewatching the motive?

MIRAI: ...I'm confused by it.

MIRAI: I want to know why...why someone had to kill again.

MIRAI: ...I'm definitely going to find out!

RHYSSA: Okay..?

MEOWYKINS: Welcome to our second showing of the horror movie: The Slasher!

MEOWYKINS: We hope you enjoy this Academy Award nominated movie.

MEOWYKINS: Let the camera roll...!

_Soundtrack: Another OST Track 1. The Story of Yomiyama_

…

…

The movie played again...

…

…

The dead died...

And the people who lived... lived.

But what was the point of it all...?

"So? How was it?" Meowykins asked, as we finished.

"L-let us watch it again," I said.

"Okay," Meowykins said.

…

…

No matter how much we rewatched it, I still couldn't get it. Mirai and Noah seemed to be lost in thought, but Rhyssa looked as confused as I did.

…

…

I guess we'll find out later...

But... there's something ominous about The Phantom... something that seems more real than we know.

_Soundtrack: Ikoroshia_

RHYSSA: ...Well, Mirai? Do you realize something?

MIRAI: …

MIRAI: …

MIRAI: …I...

MIRAI: Don't know.

RHYSSA: But you're the one who wanted to watch it again!

RHYSSA: I was even feministic!

MEOWYKINS: Why yes you were...

RHYSSA: Fuck off, dog!

RHYSSA: ...S-sorry...I got a little carried away.

MIRAI: I-I'm sorry, Rhyssa-sama..! Don't thump me again!

KEIKO: Someone else is calling Rhyssa by "-sama" too..!

NOAH: Anyways...

NOAH: I have a faint idea...

NOAH: It's on the tip of my tongue though...I can't pinpoint what I think just yet.

KEIKO: Well, was it really important..?

NOAH: ...I believe so...

NOAH: We'll just have to find out, though...

KEIKO ...Okay...

**== The Movie has been added as ammunition. (14)**

_Music halts_

_*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*_

"_Attention! The investigation is now at a halt! Please proceed to the entrance hall to be taken to the courthouse! Or courtbeach, if you will."_

"...Did we really find out enough?" I asked to the others.

"I hope so," Rhyssa sighed. "I...Maybe the others found out something..?"

"I always questioned in this game canon why when the main character is doing some important investigation, the others can't find chicken scratch," Meowykins sighed. "Oh well, that's enough breaking the fourth wall now. I have an obligation to take you to the Entrance Hall, so y'all better follow me..! Meow!"

* * *

_**Location: Entrance Hall | Time: 11:02 AM | Chapter Two | 46 DAYS LEFT**_

_Soundtrack: OST -2-26- Re Despair Syndrome_

"Upupupupu!" laughed Monokuma as we all entered the submarine. "Welcome to the S.S. Monokuma! Destination, Jabberwocky Island, where a courthouse has been prepared, and where we will fight to the death! Next stop, Jabberwocky Island No. 2! Enjoy the nice scenery, and try to relax! Whoever the killer is could use this time to let out their anxiety...leave it all out in the open, right? Upupupu... Nyahaha!"

"S-sick bastard," Furo said.

"W-why does he have to do that..?" Kirei asked. "I-I don't want to do this again..!"

"Yet you must!" Monokuma laughed.

The next few minutes went by silently... the submarine surfaced, and we landed on an island, which Monokuma described as the second Jabberwocky island... I didn't question it when Monokuma led us down the paths to a parking lot. There were numerous seats lined up in a circle. Pictures of Hideki and Yayoi were there in their spots from the first trial.

I found it strange that he took us to a place in front of a diner... but I didn't question it. All I could do was take my seat, and prepare myself.

This was it.

This would be it...

"Upupupu, are you all ready?"

_Music halts_

This is it..!

The class trial to live... or the class trial to die.

_Continued in Chapter 2: Section 6_

**AN: Hope you got my Walking Dead: the Game reference... also, some new interesting plot devices has showed up...yip yip. I always wonder if you guys notice some of my references? Like my Smart House reference, lol. But it's fine if you don't, lmao**


	17. Chapter 2: Section 6 - Class Trial I

**AN: So I decided what I'm probably going to do with Danganronpa Plus, which is Option C. I'll finish up Alpha first and then finish Plus later, just so whoever was reading it isn't left behind. I really don't like how I wrote DR+, so, yeah. That's that. **

**That's NOT to say that I will DEFINITELY not continue it as a part of the story. I may change my mind while doing Alpha and go with Option A and continue the story like I intended. Just keep in mind though, this is what I'm PLANNING to do. **

**This trial also has some aesthetic changes from the first one. They're small but hope you like them. (This is mostly because I switched from using Microsoft Word to OpenOffice.)**

**Like last time, it's recommended you keep multiple new tabs up with the soundtracks you need so you can easily switch through them. The soundtracks used this chapter are:**

**Re Trial Underground**

**BREAK! 2nd Mix**

**Class Trial FUTURE PART**

**Class Trial ODD EDITION**

**Monokuma Sensei's Lesson**

**SDR2 -Cross Swords-**

**And that's that. Enjoy the second class trial!**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Re Trial Underground_

**CHAPTER TWO**

THE CLASS TRIAL

_Have you got your facts straight? _

::1 | Monokuma File No. 2 | Review files again?

::2 | Glass Hole | A glass hole was found at the library. It was gaping and obviously made recently.

::3 | Textbook | A textbook was found nearby Micky's body. The textbook was stained with blood.

::4 | Unmei's Testimony | The killer was unidentifiable. She didn't notice anything about the killer, except that he/she had a small frame.

::5 | Micky's Throat Injury | Micky's cause of death was from his throat injury. It was a very deep cut.

::6 | Micky's Head Injury | Micky had a large head injury as well.

::7 | Micky's SHSL Talent | Micky would have been able to defend himself should the killer present him/herself.

::8 | Return to Reality | The students who wanted to kill each other ceased their murderous intent about the same time Micky was killed.

::9 | Murderous Intentions | The people who wanted to kill each other consisted of Hikaru, Ryoko, Takayashi, Kirei, Yoshinori, Micky, Unmei, and Shougo.

::10 | Piece of Glass | Bloody pieces of glass were found in the trash room.

::11 | Cape and Mask | A cape and mask were found in the trash room. The cape was covered in blood, and the mask was neatly cut out.

::12 | Ripped Piece of Paper | A ripped piece of paper was found in the trash room. Most likely irrelevant.

::13 | Bloody Needle and Pencil | A bloody needle and pencil were found in the trash room.

::14 | The Movie | The motive was a movie... confusing?

…

**COURT IS NOW IN SESSION!**

…

_Soundtrack: Class Trial Dawn Edition Volume Two_

MONOKUMA: Well then! Welcome to the second class trial!

MONOKUMA: You all remember the rules, right?

YOSHINORI: Um, just a second...where are we exactly?

[An overhead of the courtroom shows...]

YOSHINORI: Why are we on a different island from last time..?

MONOKUMA: Oh? Don't you like mixing it up some times?

MONOKUMA: No see, we had this available, and staying on one island is so boring, right?

MONOKUMA: Plus, when we are done, we can go to that nice diner over there for some complimentary refreshments!

MEOWYKINS: Meow! I cooked up a delectable feast of hamburgers and chicken wings!

YOSHINORI: Um! No thanks!

YOSHINORI: I just find it weird that we're doing this in front of a diner...

MONOKUMA: Yeah, well, deal with it.

KAITO: So what's next..? A strip club..? Ha.

UNMEI: Of course _you'd_ think that...

MONOKUMA: …

MONOKUMA: Upupu.

UNMEI: Huh?! He's right?!

MONOKUMA: Anyways, let us all review the rules one more time!

MONOKUMA: During this trial, you will have to finger out the culprit of whoever killed Micky Storm, our fabulous fashionista who had a kind mind and wish to be friends with everyone.

TAKAYASHI: Nuh uh! That wasn't him at all!

MONOKUMA: Point your finger at the _TRUE_ culprit, and he or she alone will be PUNISHED!

MONOKUMA: But if you point your finger at the _WRONG _culprit...

MONOKUMA: Then he or she alone will survive, and will be allowed to leave the academy free and clear!

MONOKUMA: So? What are you waiting for! Get crackin' already!

MIRAI: ...Hmm...

MIRAI: First off, to understand everything...I want to talk about the motive.

KIREI: W-why do we need to talk about that..?

MIRAI: I... don't know. But I think it's strange that everyone wanted to kill each other at that point, don't you?

KIREI: W-well, yes... even me...

KIREI: A-ahh! I said I wouldn't talk about that..!

KEIKO: Do you really think that the motive was the reason why everyone wanted to kill each other?

RHYSSA: Well, what else could it be..?

NOAH: First off, we should note who _wanted_ murderous intentions, and who _didn't._

KEIKO: Right...

KEIKO: Well, we know who didn't want to kill each other.

FURO: That would be me, Keiko, Mirai, Noah, Rhyssa, and Kaito, right?

SHOUGO: ...Meaning that me and everyone else tried to kill each other...

SHOUGO: God damn it..! I'm useless for a second time, aren't I..?

RYOKO: I remember... I woke up and I felt an urge to... pick up a knife?

RYOKO: Sounds strange, don't it?

MIRAI: It does, but that's exactly what happened...

MIRAI: I wonder what did it... it had to have been the movie that caused all of this...

KIREI: T-the movie?!

KIREI: B-but, how can a movie manipulate our minds like that..?

MIRAI: I...don't know.

KIREI: Wahh! Why not?!

HIKARU: I believe that there may be a discrepency we did not notice from the movie while we were watching it that we did not notice.

HIKARU: If we may, may we please review the film again?

MEOWYKINS: Meow! Of course not!

MEOWYKINS: I'll reach my heart out for Rhyssa-sama, but for you? Meow! Heck _no!_

HIKARU: ...Rhyssa?

RHYSSA: …

RHYSSA: I am not flashing again!

MIRAI: So I guess we'll have to do this by memory?

MIRAI: Let's try to review exactly what happened in the film from start to finish...

NOAH: I do believe that... a character named **Gamer Boy** wanted to get a soda..?

MIRAI: Mmhmm. So he went to the kitchen, but to his surprise...

MIRAI: The Phantom, the serial killer in that movie, came to kill him.

UNMEI: After that, **First Canon Victim USB Girl**... she was killed by the phantom, wasn't she?

MIRAI: Hm...

MIRAI: I want you guys to think...real life movies like this...sometimes they are real for a reason.

RYOKO: What the hell does that mean..?!

NOAH: Are you saying that the characters in the movie...

MIRAI: They're obviously representations of us, aren't they?

MIRAI: All the character names from the movie seemed to relate to us, right?

MIRAI: Think about it. Who exactly could Gamer Boy be?

KEIKO: _Gamer boy..? He could only be one person._

* * *

**ANSWER THE QUESTION: **_Who is Gamer Boy from the film?_

- Micky

- Keiko

- Mirai

**- Hideki**

- Kirei

KEIKO: **This is it!**

* * *

KEIKO: Gamer boy...that person most likely resemble Hideki, right?

MIRAI: Mmhmm! If you noticed, you could also sense a slight similarity in personality too.

NOAH: He said that...he wanted a game? Just like how Hideki craved a game as well...

MIRAI: Right.

MIRAI: Now, we need to think about who First Canon Victim USB Girl is.

KEIKO: _Her? She could only be..._

* * *

**ANSWER THE QUESTION: **_Who is First Canon Victim USB Girl from the film?_

- Micky

**- Yayoi**

- Hideki

- Rhyssa

- Takayashi

KEIKO: **This is it!**

* * *

KEIKO: It's...Yayoi. I remember, in her backstory, she got a USB for her birthday right?

MIRAI: Yup..!

FURO: H-Hold on! Are you saying that the characters were based on us..?

RHYSSA: W-well, I sort of knew that...

RHYSSA: Remember my outburst about me not being a fake slut host? Which I'm still not?

FURO: Yeah...yeah...So I guess Stoic Painter Boy was me, huh?

MIRAI: Mmhmm.

KEIKO: And was Cowgirl me..?

MIRAI: It had to be.

RYOKO: Er, how does this relate to anything exactly?

MIRAI: First off, think about Yayoi and Hideki...

MIRAI: They all left us, right?

RYOKO: So?

MIRAI: Well, if you think about it _really_ hard, you'll notice something about these two people.

MIRAI: ...Besides the fact that they were the ones who died first of course.

NOAH: Besides from that..? I thought that was what you were going on.

MIRAI: Well, if that were the case, then the next victim would have been me, right?

MIRAI: Because the character **Cliche Airhead** could only have been me, and he was the one who died next.

NOAH: So what are you saying? What's the one thing distinguishing those two from the rest of us?

KEIKO: …

KEIKO: _I think I know what he's talking about._

KEIKO: _But... Hmm..._

KEIKO: _I don't really know? It's hard to explain... it's on the tip of my tongue._

RHYSSA: Why don't you just come out and say it, Mirai?

MIRAI: …

MIRAI: Uh...

MIRAI: I forgot.

RHYSSA: Ugh! Your memory is so unreliable!

KEIKO: _What's the similarity between Yayoi and Hideki in the movie?_

KEIKO: _That's what we have to find out next..!_

* * *

_Soundtrack: BREAK! 2nd Mix_

**==PHASE ONE==**

_Nonstop Debate!_

Usable Ammunition:

::1| Unmei's Testimony

::2| The Movie

::3| Return to Reality

::4| Murderous Intentions

::5| Textbook

MIRAI: What could be the connection...

MIRAI: ...**between Hideki and Yayoi?**

NOAH: _**Was it their death order..?**_

RHYSSA: He already said that wouldn't have been the case.

TAKAYASHI: I got it!

TAKAYASHI: Their _**love for electronics!**_

YOSHINORI: It probably was their ==_**motive itself.**==_

KAITO: Was it...

KAITO: _**Their love for each other?!**_

KEIKO: **I concur!**

_Ammunition Used: [Murderous Intentions]_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial Dawn Edition Volume Two_

KEIKO: The similarity between Yayoi and Hideki...

KEIKO: Yoshinori was right there.

YOSHINORI: Eh? Me? What did I say?

KEIKO: Their motive itself...that was the most outstanding similarity, wasn't it?

NOAH: By motive itself, do you mean their **intentions to kill?**

KEIKO: Yes.

MIRAI: ...Oh! I remember now.

KEIKO: Remember? Hideki went into Shougo's room to kill him. His motive...was the fact that Shougo was helpless.

SHOUGO: And then Yayoi came in with the intention to kill Hideki...is that what you're saying?

TAKAYASHI: Wait a minute...

TAKAYASHI: Ahh! Then everyone had a thing with Shougo?!

KEIKO: Huh?

TAKAYASHI: That means the motive surrounded Shougo, right?!

TAKAYASHI: OMG! Why is life so suck?!

KEIKO: N-no..!

KEIKO: Think about what I just said!

FURO: ...Oh!

FURO: They all came in with the intention to kill..?!

MIRAI: Mmhmm.

MIRAI: Now, the thing is though, they were **already dead.**

MIRAI: Meaning that they had no more intentions of it anymore, right?

KEIKO: ...Huh?

KEIKO: I thought you said that Yayoi and Hideki were first because of their intention to kill?

MIRAI: Whoops, did I say that?

MIRAI: I meant, because Yayoi and Hideki were dead, they couldn't kill anymore.

KEIKO: ...Oh Mirai... I worry so...

MIRAI: Now, think about who the next victim of the movie was.

MIRAI: It was me, right?

KEIKO: Right.

MIRAI: And did I want to kill?

KEIKO: ...No.

MIRAI: So there you have it.

MIRAI: It seems that the victims of the movie...did not have that same murderous intention.

NOAH: What?!

MIRAI: By being killed in that movie, there would be no way for them to kill in real life.

MIRAI: Isn't that right, Monokuma?

MONOKUMA: Upupupu! The cat's out of the bag!

MIRAI: Also, Hideki and Yayoi needed to be used in the movie, and since they couldn't kill, they were added as a victim instead of a survivor.

KIREI: Ahh! But-but how is that possible..?!

MONOKUMA: Nyahaha... would you believe it if I said hypnotism? Reverse psychology?

MONOKUMA: The point is... you were manipulated by the movie itself!

MONOKUMA: Have you ever heard of the term, copycat killer?

MONOKUMA: Well, that's the gist of this motive, wasn't it?

MIRAI: So, in the long run, it **was** hypnotism, wasn't it

MONOKUMA: …

MONOKUMA: Fine. Second cat just jumped into the fire, I suppose.

KEIKO: So...he got us to try and kill each other by hypnotising us?!

RHYSSA: I-I see... I remember dying in that movie too, if Fake Slut Host really was me...even though I said I wasn't a slut!

HIKARU: So...to sum up what you are saying...

HIKARU: So the **victims of the movie did not want to kill each other?**

MIRAI: Yup.

MIRAI: By using some magic or something, Monokuma made it so that if we saw ourselves get killed on the big screen, we wouldn't have the urge to kill each other.

SHOUGO: ...T-that's why..!

SHOUGO: If...if only I refused to watch!

MONOKUMA: Well, if you did that, you'd be punished on the spot, so...

MONOKUMA: Look on the bright side!

MONOKUMA: Upupupu! You aren't dead, are you?

SHOUGO: Tch..!

NOAH: ...Well, we've got that matter cleaned up, I suppose.

NOAH: I still find it hard to believe...but if that's the case...

NOAH: **Then the murderer has to be one of the people who went crazy.**

YOSHINORI: Why's that..?

YOSHINORI: Couldn't it have been someone like Rhyssa or Furo?

FURO: Um, don't go around accusing whoever you please. I had nothing to do with this.

SHOUGO: ...Well, the answer to that is simple.

SHOUGO: While it is possible that one of the six "normal" people did commit the murder...

SHOUGO: ...thinking that as your first guess is suicide in a case like this.

NOAH: There is no clear motive, right? The fact that they were in a movie? That doesn't merit enough to cause one of us six to kill.

FURO: Not like we're crazy to do it anyways.

KEIKO: So...since the people went crazy...they could have easily done it, right?

SHOUGO: Yes...I hate to admit it, but this kill had to have been **involuntary.**

SHOUGO: I can't imagine...no, I don't even want to imagine the people who _weren't_ influenced by the movie trying to kill.

SHOUGO: There would be no reason too...unless one of you was secretly crazy or something.

TAKAYASHI: Hi! I can attest to that!

TAKAYASHI: Mirai is really loco crazy!

MIRAI: …

NOAH: Now that we cleared up that matter...

NOAH: Is it time to talk about something else, now?

RHYSSA: Let's see...

RHYSSA: Aha! My NCIS mind has come to fruitition!

FURO: We should probably clear up who _couldn't_ have committed the murder first, right?

FURO: One thing's first... the people who weren't hypnotised by the movie? They weren't involved with this.

KIREI: A-and those people were you, Keiko, Mirai, Noah, Rhyssa, and Kaito?

UNMEI: Well, then, I couldn't have done it...

UNMEI: I was tied up in the cafeteria...and so was Shougo.

FURO: So...that leaves the others who weren't found by me or the others to suspicion... doesn't it?

KEIKO: Hikaru and Yoshinori were restrained by Mirai and Noah too...

MIRAI: …

MIRAI: Actually, you guys...

MIRAI: I think that we should talk about this later, for now...

RYOKO: Why's that?

MIRAI: Thinking about the killer right now might lead us down the wrong path.

MIRAI: Instead, we should talk about how the murder was carried out in the first place, which will eventually lead us to the truth.

FURO: Are you sure..?

SHOUGO: I think it'll help to eliminate our window of suspects first though...

MIRAI: ...Well, we already eliminated six suspects, right?

MIRAI: But we shouldn't limit the window of oppurtunity to just three people.

RYOKO: Those four people then under suspicion would be me, Kirei, and Takayashi, right?

NOAH: Well, when you put it like that...it does sound unlikely that those three actually did it.

NOAH: However, when we split up to find the others that time, I did not find you three.

MIRAI: I didn't either.

KAITO: I didn't as well.

FURO: Neither did I...

RHYSSA: And I didn't either.

KEIKO: I was knocked out.

MIRAI: So doesn't it make more sense that we talk about how the murder was carried out first..?

MIRAI: Yeah...let's do that.

FURO: Okay...so...first things first...that big monkey of a human named Micky was knocked out by that textbook...that much is clear, right?

NOAH: Yes.

NOAH: However, we have already come to the conclusion, that as a bodyguard, Micky would have been able to defend himself from such an act.

RYOKO: Maybe the dickhole didn't notice the killer wander in, eh?

UNMEI: No...that would have been impossible.

UNMEI: There's only one door in the cafeteria. I find it hard to believe that Micky would not have noticed the killer wander in.

UNMEI: The door was old too. Even if it was just opened, anyone could hear it from the cafeteria.

UNMEI: I know I did.

SHOUGO: I heard a door creak too...that must have been around the time Micky was killed.

SHOUGO: Unfortunately, I could not identify the killer...

KAITO: So in short, Micky would have known.

KAITO: Well then, there's one thing I find strange.

KIREI: W-what's that?

KAITO: If the killer carried in the textbook, then why didn't he or she clean it up?

RHYSSA: Right...they took the time to clean up the murder weapon.

RHYSSA: Why didn't they take the textbook?

NOAH: They most likely forgot about it while it was there.

NOAH: It is common amongst criminals to do such things while in shock of actually committing a sin like murder.

KAITO: Are you sure..? I would notice a textbook more than anything else.

NOAH: ...Moreover, there is one fact that disturbs me.

HIKARU: And that is..?

NOAH: The **location of the notebook...**

NOAH: It's one thing to have it randomly dumped anywhere.

NOAH: However, it was found behind the body.

NOAH: Why would the killer just drop the book if they had the power to knock him out? Doing such a thing, I would have hidden it.

UNMEI: Sorry, I don't follow.

NOAH: In short, we are assuming that the killer walked into the cafeteria with the textbook in hand.

NOAH: To knock someone out, they would have to walk up to Micky without getting noticed, and knock him out from behind.

NOAH: Why did the textbook go behind his body..? Why would the killer drop the textbook and not notice it?

MIRAI: Well then, we should probably talk about how the textbook got behind Micky's body in the first place.

TAKAYASHI: How the textbook got behind Micky's body..?

TAKAYASHI: Damn..! There's only one possible way though..!

HIKARU: But it is not foolish to think about alternatives.

HIKARU: We are dealing with a killer with some incense in knowledge. We should not ignore and other ideas.

TAKAYASHI: Oh...all right.

KEIKO: _How the textbook got behind Micky's body..._

KEIKO: _That had to have been that!_

* * *

_Soundtrack: BREAK! 2nd Mix!_

**==PHASE TWO==**

_Nonstop Debate!_

Usable Ammunition:

::1| Micky's Throat Injury

::2| Micky's SHSL Talent

::3| Micky's Head Injury

::4| The Movie

::5| Glass Hole

MIRAI: Hmm...how did the murderer get the textbook to Micky?

MIRAI: One's things for sure, Micky **would have been able to defend himself.**

KAITO: Meaning that the killer couldn't have attacked him from up close.

UNMEI: No, that's impossible though.

UNMEI: **==There's no other way then, is there?==**

TAKAYASHI: Ha! I know!

TAKAYASHI: He knocked himself out being the manwhore he was!

KEIKO: **You've got that wrong!**

_Ammunition Used: [Glass Hole]_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

KEIKO: No, it was definitely possible to knock Micky out from a distance.

UNMEI: W-what? But how?

KEIKO: I remember, I ran into the library, and I was searching it thinking that something happened.

KEIKO: But when I was running back out of it, I fell into something, and fell on my face.

KEIKO: I was lucky I didn't fall through..! Because what I fell into was a glass hole.

UNMEI: Huh? A glass hole? Your leg fell through that..?

YOSHINORI: So what's a glass hole got to do with this?

KEIKO: Isn't it obvious..?

KEIKO: That's how the killer knocked Micky out from a distance!

YOSHINORI: You mean... the killer threw the textbook from the library to Micky's head?!

KEIKO: The killer must have known full well the strength of Micky.

KEIKO: There was no way that the killer would have attacked him up close like that, even restrained.

FURO: But does the location of the library and the chair match up?

KEIKO: It should!

MIRAI: Mmm...I think I can draw a visual.

MIRAI: *scribble*scribble*...Here.

imageshack|com/i/nrqvh3p

(change "|" to ".")

MIRAI: See?

MIRAI: Micky's chair was located right below from where the glass hole was.

YOSHINORI: I see! So the killer must have snuck up onto Micky, literally from above him!

MIRAI: Feeling safe that the killer was knocked out...

MIRAI: He was then able to act upon it and kill Micky for real, provided that the textbook didn't already kill him.

KEIKO: ...B-but... there's one thing I don't get.

YOSHINORI: What is it?

KEIKO: I was right in front of the library...

KEIKO: I wasn't under the influence, so... why didn't the killer kill me?

KEIKO: Why Micky? I was fainted, so there was no possible way for me to fight back..!

NOAH: ...Hmm...

NOAH: You say you fainted again..?

KEIKO: Yeah...

NOAH: ...Again, huh?

NOAH: …

KEIKO: W-what is it?

NOAH: Nothing...

NOAH: It was probably the killer's attempt to create the perfect crime. Nothing else.

NOAH: Doing it in front of Hikaru and Yoshinori may have created too much excess evidence.

FURO: Jeez... looks like we got a cunning son of a bitch on our hands, don't we?

KEIKO: So now that we found out how Micky was knocked out...

YOSHINORI: How exactly did the killer kill Micky..? What weapon did he use?

MIRAI: …

MIRAI: I think the answer is closer than you think.

YOSHINORI: Closer..?

MIRAI: I don't think it was just any ordinary murder weapon...

MIRAI: No...it was something else. Right Keiko?

KEIKO: _Yeah. I remember._

KEIKO: _The murder weapon... it's obviously that._

* * *

_Soundtrack: BREAK! 2nd Mix_

**==PHASE THREE==**

_Nonstop Debate!_

Usable Ammunition:

::1| Piece of Glass

::2| Ripped Piece of Paper

::3| Bloody Needle and Pencil

::4| Micky's Throat Injury

::5| Micky's Head Injury

MIRAI: The murderer...he got the murder weapon somehow...

MIRAI: ...**from closeby...I think.**

KIREI: W-why do you say that?

NOAH: The answer isn't obvious..?

NOAH: _**It could only have come from one place.**_

FURO: Are you guys dumb..? It was the cafeteria...

FURO: **==They obviously got a knife from the kitchen.==**

KEIKO: **You've got that wrong!**

_Ammuntion Used: [Piece of Glass]_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

KEIKO: It wasn't a knife from the kitchen...no, it wouldn't even have made sense if it was a knife.

FURO: And why's that, hot stuff?

KEIKO: First, think about one thing...

KEIKO: Was there anything around Micky's body other than the textbook?

FURO: Well, no...

KEIKO: The amount of glass that was broken was a huge amount.

KEIKO: You could tell from the gaping hole.

KEIKO: Basically, don't you find it strange that there wasn't any extra glass?

FURO: O-oh..!

RYOKO: You sayin' they used the glass to kill Micky?!

SHOUGO: The glass had to have fallen from the hole when it was created by the textbook...and the remaining glass pieces would have been the perfect weapon.

NOAH: That would make sense...then there would not be another need to prepare a murder weapon in advance.

MIRAI: Also, someone could have easily noticed if there were a knife missing from the kitchen...

MIRAI: I think the killer was smart in playing it safe this time.

KEIKO: So that's it.

KEIKO: The killer had to have used the glass coming from the ceiling...

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial ODD EDITION_

RYOKO: **That lie is permanent!**

KEIKO: H-huh?

RYOKO: Yo, Keiko! Did you forget?

RYOKO: You were knocked out in front of that library!

RYOKO: That glass hole shit...that has to be a coincedence.

KEIKO: But, it's obvious! There's no other way for that huge hole to have been there!

RYOKO: Explain to me how the killer got past you guys then!

KEIKO: Well...

RYOKO: Hikaru and Yoshinori would have noticed you then, right?

RYOKO: There has to be another way! That's a big plot hole!

KEIKO: …

KEIKO: _But...there's literally no other way for the textbook to have gotten there._

KEIKO: _I guess I have to prove it..!_

* * *

_Soundtrack: SDR2 -CROSS SWORD-_

**==PHASE FOUR==**

_Cross Sword Battle!_

Usable Swords:

::1| Piece of Glass

::2| Unmei's Testimony

::3| Glass Hole

RYOKO: The murder=/=er couldn't have gone in unnoticed!

RYOKO: Did you forget already?! Hi=/=karu and Yoshinori were there!

RYOKO: So there's abso=/=lutely no way for the killer to have wandered in there!

RYOKO: Or can you explain to me how he=/=passed unnoticed?!

* * *

_**DEVELOPMENT!**_

=/=...=/=...=/=...=/=...

* * *

KEIKO: Then can YOU explain to me how that glass hole and textbook got there?

KEIKO: There's only one way! The theory we had just now!

RYOKO: Ha! That's ba=/=loney!

RYOKO: Are you d=/=eaf? Like I said!

RYOKO: **==There's now way for the killer to pass by unnoticed!==**

KEIKO: **I'll cut that claim to pieces!**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

KEIKO: Are you sure YOU didn't forget already?

RYOKO: Eh?! What'd you just say..?

KEIKO: Remember what Unmei said?

KEIKO: She said that she **couldn't identify the killer,** right?

UNMEI: O-oh yeah..!

UNMEI: The killer was covering their hair, and I couldn't really see too much of the actual person...

UNMEI: N-no! There's no way anyone could have noticeably identified the killer!

RYOKO: ..O-oh...

RYOKO: B-but, what did they use to cover themselves with?!

KEIKO: That?

KEIKO: There's only one possible thing.

* * *

_**PRESENT YOUR EVIDENCE!** What could the killer have covered themselves with?_

::1 | Monokuma File No. 2 | Review files again?

::2 | Glass Hole | A glass hole was found at the library. It was gaping and obviously made recently.

::3 | Textbook | A textbook was found nearby Micky's body. The textbook was stained with blood.

::4 | Unmei's Testimony | The killer was unidentifiable. She didn't notice anything about the killer, except that he/she had a small frame.

::5 | Micky's Throat Injury | Micky's cause of death was from his throat injury. It was a very deep cut.

::6 | Micky's Head Injury | Micky had a large head injury as well.

::7 | Micky's SHSL Talent | Micky would have been able to defend himself should the killer present him/herself.

::8 | Return to Reality | The students who wanted to kill each other ceased their murderous intent about the same time Micky was killed.

::9 | Murderous Intentions | The people who wanted to kill each other consisted of Hikaru, Ryoko, Takayashi, Kirei, Yoshinori, Micky, Unmei, and Shougo.

::10 | Piece of Glass | Bloody pieces of glass were found in the trash room.

**::11 | Cape and Mask | A cape and mask were found in the trash room. The cape was covered in blood, and the mask was neatly cut out.**

::12 | Ripped Piece of Paper | A ripped piece of paper was found in the trash room. Most likely irrelevant.

::13 | Bloody Needle and Pencil | A bloody needle and pencil were found in the trash room.

::14 | The Movie | The motive was a movie... confusing?

* * *

KEIKO: **This is it!**

KEIKO: When we were going through the trash room, we found something else other than that piece of glass.

RYOKO: You found the piece of glass there..?

KEIKO: Y-yes...and we also found a cape and a mask.

RYOKO: A cape and a mask..?

KEIKO: There's one thing to that obviously makes them related to this case.

KEIKO: And that is...

* * *

_**ANSWER THE QUESTION:** What makes the cape and mask related to the case?_

It was found in the trash room.

The mask was found next to it.

It was found near the body.

**The cape had a bloodstain on it.**

The mask had a bloodstain on it.

* * *

KEIKO: **This is it!**!

KEIKO: One very thing was clear when we found the cape.

KEIKO: If you take a look at it, there's some blood on it, right?

RYOKO: Oh...there is!

KEIKO: I find it suspicious that a cape and mask like this were found in the trash room near the piece of glass, stained with blood too!

FURO: But couldn't that have been from something else?

MIRAI: Even if it was, the blood on it still makes is suspicious.

MIRAI: And it's undeniable that the killer used _something_ to conceal their identity.

MIRAI: Because they did that at the least...it doesn't really change anything if the cape and mask aren't related at all.

FURO: Er, if the killer really was covering themselves up like that...

FURO: Wouldn't that mean...

FURO: There's no way to identify the killer?

KIREI: H-huh?!

KIREI: B-but...if we can't do that..!

MIRAI: ...I think there might be.

MIRAI: There could be some evidence that leads us to the actual killer.

KIREI: R-really?!

RHYSSA: Well, what is it?! Spit it out!

MIRAI: And that is...

_Soundtrack: Monokuma Sensei's Lesson_

MONOKUMA: AH! AH! I can't hear you!

MONOKUMA: I can't hear you!

KEIKO: W-what?

MONOKUMA: Sorry to end it like this, but we have reached our first recess!

MONOKUMA: Upupupu...how sad. Just when things were getting intense!

MONOKUMA: Please take the time to consider the facts...and we'll see you next time!

KEIKO: W-wait...

MONOKUMA: Remember to save your game! Er, but we're in a book aren't we? Or more like a fanfiction? Okay! So be sure to bookmark this page for new updates!

MONOKUMA: Byeeee!

_Continued in Chapter 2: Section 7_


	18. Chapter 2: Section 7 - Class Trial II

**AN: Merry Christmas! I wanted to post this MUCH EARLIER but I've been having internet issues. Sorry it's so late.**

**For the soundtracks, please refer to the list in the last chapter. In addition to that list, the following soundtracks have been added. I also recommend you read this chapter more than once. I admit myself, it is quite confusing. I also recommend reading the AN at the end of the chapter as I will clarify a few things about what just happened.**

**Also, I just wanted to mention to MizunashiFuyuko, is that the trial takes place in front of a diner, lol. Unless you approve of a strip club being the location for the next trial... also OTP means one true pairing.**

**LIST OF SOUNDTRACKS:**

**Welcome to DANGAN Island!**

**Flashing Anagram**

**HEAT UP! 2nd Mix**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Welcome to DANGAN Island!_

MEOWYKINS: Meow! Oh, how intense!

MEOWYKINS: It seems like everyone is on pins and needles today..!

MEOWYKINS: Who, oh who, could the culprit be?!

MEOWYKINS: Remember! Reading in a dark room is bad for your eyes!

MEOWYKINS: I should know, I'm a bunny!

MEOWYKINS: ...Never mind! I'm actually a dog. Meow!

**COURT IS BACK IN SESSION!**

_Soundtrack: Class Trial DAWN EDITION Volume Two_

MONOKUMA: Ohio gozaimasu!

MONOKUMA: Oh Meowykins? Is that how fans of the Japanese culture type it out on Tumblr?

MEOWYKINS: Meow! I do not know, as I do not have fingers!

FURO: A-anyways...if the murderer was wearing a cape and a mask...

FURO: How is it even possible for us to identify the killer?

MIRAI: Hmm...

MIRAI: There's still a mystery that we haven't cleaned up yet, actually.

TAKAYASHI: The mystery of the little girl named Ellie!

FURO: No one gets your references!

MIRAI: First off, we know how the killer was able to subdue Micky, right?

KEIKO: The killer came to the library, and threw the textbook directly onto Micky.

KEIKO: That caused Micky to be knocked out, right?

MIRAI: Mmhmm.

TAKAYASHI: Such delicacy..! Such amazement!

TAKAYASHI: That's an amazing piece of art!

RHYSSA: Murder is not art!

KAITO: Was there anything else you found at the trash room that could be useful..?

MIRAI: Yup.

MIRAI: In fact, we found a pencil, and a needle.

MIRAI: The needle was covered in blood, and the pencil was fine...

KEIKO: Also, we saw a suspicious piece of paper...it was ripped off, so...

FURO: A ripped piece of a paper, and a pencil...

FURO: ...God! No, that was _not_ me!

MIRAI: Then that leaves Ryoko-chan, right?

RYOKO: Huh? Me?

MIRAI: This needle is the needles that tattoo artists use, right?

RYOKO: Yeah? So?

MIRAI: I'm not accusing you of being the culprit...

MIRAI: But I think that you're involved with this case somehow.

RYOKO: Hell no!

NOAH: Do not feel bad about it.

NOAH: We all know that you were under the influence.

RYOKO: Well I ain't lying!

RYOKO: I don't give a crap if there was a bloody needle...

RYOKO: Sorry bub, that ain't got to do with me.

KIREI: B-but, if it wasn't you, or Furo...

KIREI: Then who was it?

TAKAYASHI: W-well! It had to be them!

KIREI: I-I'm sorry..!

KIREI: …

TAKAYASHI: Why are _you_ apologizing?!

SHOUGO: Then essentially...it basically means that one of you is lying.

FURO: One of us is lying..?

MIRAI: If you think about it, the evidence we found in the trash room casts some suspicion on Furo, doesn't it?

MIRAI: It also casts some suspicion on Ryoko as well.

RYOKO: Say that again, you airheaded freak!

KEIKO: But it's true...

MIRAI: But actually, I find it a bit strange, don't you?

FURO: Strange? What's so strange about it..?

FURO: Er, I mean, well, yeah. It is strange...

KEIKO: What's so strange about it?

MIRAI: Hmm...a needle and a pencil put together...

MIRAI: That casts suspicion on our two artists, doesn't it?

RYOKO: Well, I guess I am technically an artist!

KEIKO: _She seems proud..._

HIKARU: Are you saying that those two pieces of evidence are unrelated?

MIRAI: Not unrelated. They are still very important pieces of evidence.

MIRAI: It's just that I don't think we should rely on them so much as we think.

NOAH: Let's assume that the needle and the pencil _did_ belong to Ryoko or Furo.

NOAH: Then what would happen?

MIRAI: Obviously, one of them had to have dropped it while disposing of the evidence, right?

UNMEI: Um, if one of them dropped it...

UNMEI: Then it's sort of confusing...

UNMEI: ...Oh!

NOAH: I see. So the killer could have used the needle and a pencil at the same time to cast suspicion on both of them.

MIRAI: Of course, that's where the killer made a mistake.

MIRAI: The killer _could have_ thought they were going the extra mile, but what they were really doing...

MIRAI: ...was making it very obvious that they planted red herrings at one of the crime scenes.

TAKAYASHI: Wooow...so the killer planned this thing out a lot, didn't they?

SHOUGO: Well, then, in that case, isn't it possible that the killer was Furo or Ryoko?

MIRAI: ...Well, yes.

SHOUGO: The bloody needle could have been kept by Ryoko, and it could have fallen out while she was throwing away the evidence. Then she could have planted the pencil as a red herring.

SHOUGO: And the same goes for Furo. He could have done the same thing, except he could've planted the bloody needle, and then accidentally have dropped the pencil.

MIRAI: ...Very true.

SHOUGO: So what are you trying to say?!

MIRAI: Well, I haven't finished yet, either.

MIRAI: Remember what Keiko also found?

KEIKO: I found something else..?

KEIKO: Oh yeah, that piece of paper...

KEIKO: I was convinced it was unrelated, so I didn't say anything about it...

KEIKO: But how would that be related at all?

MIRAI: Hmm, so many questions..!

MIRAI: A bloody needle...a number two pencil...and a random ripped piece of paper.

MIRAI: It's confusing, isn't it?

TAKAYASHI: Hell yes it is!

NOAH: Before we go onto that subject, there is one thing that bothers me about your theory, Shougo.

SHOUGO: Mine?

NOAH: Assuming you are right, what if Furo did commit the murder?

FURO: …

NOAH: There would be no motive. What would be the point of killing someone over a movie?

MONOKUMA: Upupupu! Didn't you remember? I said earlier that one of the most common motives of killing is a copycat murderer!

MONOKUMA: Some people are into some really strange things...like perhaps killing someone!

MEOWYKINS: But, Meowykins-sama! We already have a psycho killer!

MONOKUMA: Oh? Do we?

MEOWYKINS: Yup! Y'all aren't forgetting about Yayoi's past, are you?

MONOKUMA: Oh right! She was a sadistic little girl, wasn't she?

MONOKUMA: So I guess it would be a bit of a stretch to have two psychotic killers in our school!

FURO: So are you saying that I'm innocent?

NOAH: ...Well, there's always that offchance that you really are sadistic.

FURO: And I take offense to that...

NOAH: But without the presence of a motive, I think we should put aside that theory for now.

RYOKO: Wait a minute..!

RYOKO: Then that leaves me! I didn't commit the crime!

NOAH: Is the blood on the needle just for fun, then?

RYOKO: Ha! You're grasping for straws.

NOAH: Think about it.

NOAH: The killer would not have been able to get a tattoo needle.

NOAH: It had to have been you. Either that, or you're along the lines of an accomplice.

MIRAI: Just a moment please...we still haven't finished talking about that ripped piece of paper, have me?

KEIKO: Like I said, it probably doesn't have any relation to this case.

MIRAI: ...And what if I said that this little piece of paper can change the entire case completely?

TAKAYASHI: A small piece of paper, changing the fabric of time..?

TAKAYASHI: This is not a fantasy football game, Mirai! Get your shit straight!

KAITO: I am feeling a little bothered by something that might relate to the paper.

KIREI: B-but what's that..?

KAITO: The costume. How exactly did the killer make it?

HIKARU: It is obvious to see that the costume had to have been manmade.

HIKARU: However...I do agree. It's origins are dubious.

KAITO: ...The mask...it's made out of pure white paper, isn't it?

KEIKO: Yeah, it is.

UNMEI: Wait a minute!

UNMEI: You aren't suggesting that the white piece of paper actually came from the mask, are you?

KEIKO: That does seem to be a bit of a stretch, Kaito...

KAITO: It is a stretch, but it's the only possible thing I can think of.

KEIKO: But, it doesn't make sense.

KAITO: Why not?

KEIKO: Because...

_**ANSWER THE QUESTION: **Why doesn't it make sense?_

Why am I even doing this?

**It doesn't match up with the timeline.**

The white paper doesn't match up with the mask.

There's no blood on the white paper.

There's blood on the cape.

* * *

KEIKO: **This is it!**

* * *

KEIKO: It doesn't match up with what we perceived the timeline to be.

KAITO: The timeline..?

NOAH: Let's review then, shall we?

NOAH: The killer first in his steps, went up to the library, and knocked Micky out with the textbook.

NOAH: Because of that, the textbook fell behind Micky.

TAKAYASHI: Then after they knew he was knocked out, they went to the cafeteria, and took a piece of broken glass...

TAKAYASHI: Then they gutted him like a fish!

TAKAYASHI: In the throat that is.

KAITO: How does this interfere with the timeline..?

KEIKO: It's simple.

KEIKO: The killer threw away all the evidence in the trash room, **after the murder was committed.**

KEIKO: If the killer made the costume somewhere else, then why would the piece of paper be in the trash room at the first place?

KEIKO: …

KEIKO: _Wait a minute..._

KEIKO: _I think I just said something weird..._

NOAH: So I suppose we should think of other options...

MIRAI: ...Hmm, actually, hold on a second.

MIRAI: Can I bring something else up before Keiko continues..?

MIRAI: ...**There's something **_**strange about that textbook...**_

NOAH: It was a weapon used to knock out Micky.

NOAH: We will discuss that later.

MIRAI: ...Well, alright...

MIRAI: I think Keiko might be wrong here, as well as the rest of you.

TAKAYASHI: Hoo! So honest...

NOAH: What are we wrong about..?

MIRAI: Well, it's not so much the timeline.

MIRAI: But what Keiko just said assumes that the costume was made somewhere other than the trash room.

KEIKO: ...But, it was. It had to have been.

MIRAI: And why?

NOAH: If you are saying the costume was made somewhere else, then pray tell us where you think it was made.

MIRAI: ...Well, it had to have been made...

MIRAI: ...Oops. I forgot...

TAKAYASHI: Again?!

KEIKO: _...Mirai is right though, isn't it?_

KEIKO:_ Because I know I said something weird._

KEIKO: _Where was the costume made..? _

* * *

_Soundtrack: Flashing Anagram_

**==PHASE FIVE==**

_Epiphany Anagram!_

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T/R/_/S/_/|||_/_/_/_/

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T/R/_/S/_/|||_/O/O/_/

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T/R/_/S/_/|||R/O/O/_/

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T/R/_/S/_/|||R/O/O/M

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T/R/_/S/H/|||R/O/O/M

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T/R/A/S/H/|||R/O/O/M

**TRASH ROOM**

* * *

KEIKO: _**I figured it out!**_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

KEIKO: Are you saying...that the costume was made at the trash room?!

FURO: W-wait a minute...but that changes everything...

FURO: Then that means that the needle and the pencil..!

MIRAI: Mmhmm. They weren't red herrings.

MIRAI: They were left behind by the killer, because they were just tools that the killer used to make the costume.

KEIKO: And the ripped piece of paper?

MIRAI: A remaint from the mask that was clearly made of paper as well.

KAITO: Wait a minute...

KAITO: If the needle, paper, and pencil were used just for that purpose...

KAITO: Then how can we identify the killer now?!

UNMEI: We have no more evidence to use, do we?

MIRAI: …

MIRAI: Oh. I guess we don't.

NOAH: B-but, Mirai, are you sure about this?

NOAH: How do you explain the blood on the needle then?

MIRAI: Well, the killer easily could have pricked themselves.

NOAH: ...No they couldn't have..!

NOAH: The freaking needle is covered in blood, you know!

MIRAI: …

MIRAI: Well, maybe they didn't use the needle then.

RHYSSA: Then what did the killer use?

MIRAI: It was a trash room at a high school...you could find anything, even a cape.

MIRAI: In that case, the killer made the mask in the room.

MIRAI: That explains the pencil and the ripped piece of paper, doesn't it?

NOAH: Well in that case, how can we even explain the existance of the needle?

NOAH: It was bloody, meaning that it had to have some involvement in this case, no?

MIRAI: Are you sure about that..?

NOAH: Hm?

MIRAI: Well, we already established the possibility of the needle being a red herring...

NOAH: But the needle was a part of the costume, wasn't it?!

MIRAI: ...I don't know.

NOAH: Of course...

MIRAI: But did anyone need to use a needle for this?

NOAH: ...What?

HIKARU: We have assumed that a needle was used for this costume, because it was handmade.

HIKARU: However, that is what Mirai is questioning right now, correct..?

MIRAI: Mmhmm.

KEIKO: _...Why wouldn't the needle be used in the costume though..?_

_**ANSWER THE QUESTION: **Why wouldn't the needle be used to make the costume?_

Because the needle was too dangerous.

Because the needle is unrelated to this case.

Because the needle was a red herring.

**Because the costume was already made.**

Because the mask was already destroyed.

* * *

KEIKO: **This is it!**

* * *

KEIKO: I agree with Mirai...

KEIKO: I don't think the needle was used in the production of the costume.

KEIKO: Instead, the cape was probably just remaints from the trash room itself.

NOAH: Then what about the mask?

RHYSSA: Um, why would you need a needle to make a mask?

RHYSSA: I think that's probably where the ripped paper came from too...

RHYSSA: They made the mask by ripping it!

NOAH: I see...

NOAH: Well, it seems like whoever the killer was...they had to be crafty, didn't they?

KEIKO: ...Crafty...

KEIKO: _Crafty? Someone good with their hands?_

FURO: Tch...what a killer.

KEIKO: ...Hmm...

KEIKO: _I think...I have an idea._

KEIKO: _But I want to make sure first. I don't want to make any false accusations like last time, so..._

* * *

_Soundtrack: HEAT UP 2nd Mix_

**==PHASE SIX==**

_Nonstop Debate!_

Usable Ammunition:

::1| The Movie

::2| Bloody Needle and Pencil

::3| Cape and Mask

::4| Piece of Glass

::5| Monokuma File No. 2

NOAH: Our killer...they were quite good with their hands it seems.

FURO: **All I know how to do is draw though...**

FURO: So don't go accusing me, alright..?

RYOKO: Well, then the next crafty person would be me...

RYOKO: **But I don't know how to draw either...**

MIRAI: …

MIRAI: Whoever made the cape and mask would have had time before the murder happened...

MIRAI: Meaning they had to make it **early in the morning.**

TAKAYASHI: Heehee!

TAKAYASHI:_**==Maybe it wasn't someone talented in drawing at all!==**_

KEIKO: **I concur!**

_Ammunition Used: [Cape and Mask]_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

KEIKO: I agree with Takayashi!

TAKAYASHI: *gasp* You do?!

TAKAYASHI: I have been blessed! One of the smart people at the court trial agrees with me, haha...yes!

KAITO: But...if it wasn't someone crafty, I don't see how they would have been able to create that mask.

KEIKO: Well, I have an idea about it...

KEIKO: But first, before talking about that, I want to bring everyone's attention back to the needle.

UNMEI: The needle? Why that?

KEIKO: Well, how do you think the blood got onto the needle, anyways?

UNMEI: Um...gravity?

KAITO: Obviously not.

SHOUGO: Well, I suppose the killer must have somehow plunged the needle into their skin.

SHOUGO: They did want to create the needle as a red herring, didn't they?

KEIKO: ...No. Thinking about it more and more, it's strange.

KEIKO: I mean, who would have even thought that we'd go into the trash room?

RHYSSA: Good for me, right?

RHYSSA: If it wasn't for me, we wouldn't even have gone in there...

_RHYSSA: Oh!_

_RHYSSA: The trash room is nearby!_

SHOUGO: What are you going for, Keiko..?

KEIKO: Think about it...if the killer didn't think we would go into the trash room...

KEIKO: Maybe the needle wasn't a red herring at all, but something they wanted to dispose of at the start.

NOAH: Something...they wanted to dispose of?

KEIKO: Take a look at the cape and mask again.

KEIKO: There's blood sprayed on the cape, right?

MIRAI: But why isn't there blood on the mask? That's your question, isn't it?

KEIKO: Yes!

MIRAI: Hmm...why there isn't blood on the mask...

MIRAI: And this relates to the needle, because you think blood got onto the needle too?

KEIKO: Yes...

KEIKO: Blood must have gotten onto the needle!

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial ODD EDITION_

NOAH:** Lock it up and shut up!**

* * *

NOAH: Keiko, that reasoning...

NOAH: It's undeniably flawed.

KEIKO: Flawed..?

NOAH: I have to ask how you made such an overinsight.

NOAH: The needle? It was_ covered_ in blood.

KEIKO: So..?

NOAH: How is it possible the needle was exposed..?

NOAH: Or will you suggest that there's something else going on?

KEIKO: What do you mean?

NOAH: There was no way for that much blood to get onto a needle exposed.

NOAH: That's not the only flaw. Why would the killer even have a needle on them?

NOAH: In addition, why would the needle be outside of the cape, assuming the killer was wearing one?

KEIKO: W-well...

NOAH: The needle, if the killer did truly carry it with him or her, should have been under the cape.

KEIKO: …

KEIKO: _Right...I can't argue with that..._

KEIKO: _But the needle isn't a red herring...it doesn't make sense for that killer to hurt themselves like that._

* * *

_Soundtrack: SDR2 -CROSS SWORD-_

**PHASE SEVEN==**

_Cross Swords Battle!_

Usable Swords:

::1| Bloody Needle and Pencil

::2| Bloody Glass

::3| Micky's Throat Injury

NOAH: It is impossible=/=for blood to have gotten on the needle.

NOAH: Why would th=/=e killer have the needle exposed like that?

NOAH: Un=/=less you are suggesting that the killer rolled the needle around in Micky's blood?

NOAH: But if the killer did that, then the nee=/=dle would still be a red herring.

_**DEVELOPMENT!**_

..=/=..=/=..=/=..=/=..=/=..

KEIKO: Do you honestly think that the needle is a red herring?

KEIKO: Don't you think someone else is up here?

NOAH: Of cou=/=rse the needle is a red herring.

NOAH: What els=/=e could the needle be?

NOAH: **It certainly isn't the murder weapon.==**

KEIKO: **I'll cut that claim to pieces!**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial ODD EDITION_

KEIKO: The glass...

KEIKO: I'm sure that wasn't the murder weapon!

NOAH: What the..?!

YOSHINORI: How can you say that after we discussed that much?!

YOSHINORI: The textbook was used to knock Micky out, and they used the surrounding glass as the murder weapon!

KEIKO: There's one thing I don't get about that though!

MIRAI: ...Hmm...I know what you're talking about...

YOSHINORI: So are you saying that they didn't use the textbook to knock Micky out..?

MIRAI: No...I don't think that's what she's saying...

MIRAI: It's probably true that the textbook was used to knock Micky out...

MIRAI: But actually don't you find it strange? There was only one piece of glass at the trash room.

YOSHINORI: Um, how should I have known that?!

NOAH: There was only one piece of glass found..?

MIRAI: Mmm...even more suspiciously is that the area around Micky was completely cleaned up.

NOAH: What are you saying then..?

KEIKO: Why do you think that there wasn't any glass around Micky's body?

NOAH: The killer cleaned it all up, of course...

KEIKO: So you'd expect it to be at the trash room right?

NOAH: Well, wasn't it..?

KEIKO: No! It was only that one piece of glass that was bloody..!

NOAH: Are you sure..? Did you not notice anything else..?

MIRAI: You were with us too, Noah...I'm surprised you didn't notice first.

NOAH: ...H-how...how could I miss something like that..?

MIRAI: Don't hurt yourself over it...I don't think that you were the one who found it.

NOAH: ...Wait a minute, you were, weren't you?!

MIRAI: ...Oh, I was.

NOAH: Is Keiko right..? Did you notice any other pieces of glass..?

MIRAI: ...No. I don't think so...

NOAH: T-then...

KEIKO: We've had this all wrong from the beginning..!

KEIKO: The killer probably dumped the other pieces of glass somewhere else at random.

KEIKO: But that one piece of glass...

KEIKO: **That was the red herring!**

NOAH: So...what this means...

NOAH: Is that the needle is the true murder weapon?!

FURO: ...I see...

FURO: This narrows down our selection a lot, doesn't it?

MIRAI: ...It does?

MIRAI: I think it helps, but "not a lot."

HIKARU: What do you mean?

FURO: Yeah...it's obvious who the killer is at this point.

RYOKO: Who..?

FURO: **It's you Ryoko!**

RYOKO: What..?! I'm the killer?!

* * *

_Soundtrack: HEAT UP! 2nd Mix_

**==PHASE EIGHT==**

_Nonstop Debate!_

Usable Ammunition:

::1| Piece of Glass

::2| Bloody Needle and Pencil

::3| Unmei's Testimony

::4| Monokuma File No. 2

::5| Glass Hole

FURO: The killer is Ryoko!

FURO: That much is obvious!

RYOKO: Hold on a minute...I'm not the killer..!

FURO: And why the hell not?!

MIRAI: ...Furo...don't you remember?

RYOKO: Well I sure as hell remember!

RYOKO: **It's impossible for me to have been the killer!**

FURO: Are you kidding?

FURO: **==The killer could only be you!==**

KEIKO: **You've got that wrong!**

_Ammunition Used: [Ummei's Testimony]_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

KEIKO: No. It's clear why it's impossible for Ryoko to have committed this murder.

FURO: Why not?!

KEIKO: Because! Don't you remember what Unmei said?

KEIKO: The killer was of a **small stature.**

RYOKO: And I'm pretty fucking tall, aren't I?!

FURO: O-oh...

RYOKO: So the killer must be you, eh?!

MIRAI: Hmm...no...I don't think that's possible either...

KIREI: E-eh...why not?

KIREI: If it wasn't Ryoko...then it must be Furo..! For him to have made the mask...

KEIKO: But like I said, the killer shouldn't have been crafty with his or her hands.

KIREI: W-why not..? I actually don't think that was made clear...

KEIKO: Well, like I was saying before...we were talking about why there was blood on the needle and the cape.

NOAH: ...I apologize...I seemed to have derailed the conversation a bit.

KIREI: U-Um..! So are you saying that there's something wrong with the mask..?

KEIKO: Well, if there was blood on the cape and the needle, **why wasn't there any blood on the mask?**

NOAH: I see...

NOAH: **If the murderer used a needle, it would have been rather difficult to cut it that deep, correct?**

NOAH: **The neck wound was incredibly deep, so it would have taken some effort for the needle to cut through like that.**

KEIKO: It's only natural that blood would have gotten on the mask then, right?

KEIKO: That would mean that the mask was made **after the costume was made by the actual killer.**

RHYSSA: What? But... we found it at the trash room.

KEIKO: Yeah.

KEIKO: We did, didn't we?

RHYSSA: Y-yeah...

KEIKO: The mask had to have been **created after Micky was killed!**

KEIKO: That's why there wasn't any blood on it, and it also explains the existance of that ripped piece of paper!

TAKAYASHI: This...this is such a cunning piece of work..!

TAKAYASHI: I feel like I'm smack in the middle of one of Mr. Wright's famous trials..!

TAKAYASHI: Yahoo! Channel the Apollo Justice in you, Takayashi!

KEIKO: But let's think.

KEIKO: Now, the murderer options are narrowed down, because it couldn't have been any of you who gone deranged...

FURO: T-then who..?

KEIKO: It was one of us six...

KEIKO: It was one of us six that didn't go deranged at all!

KEIKO: And if it was one of us six that didn't go deranged...

KEIKO: There's one person it could be. It wasn't Furo, no. That pencil being planted was random, and proves that he was just a subject of another red herring.

KEIKO: Instead, there was someone who coaxed us into doing things...

KEIKO: Someone who was a great help during the investigation for her own benefit.

MIRAI: You also have to consider that whoever the killer was **had to be able to create the mask post-mortem.**

NOAH: B-but...are you sure?

MIRAI: It looks like motive really didn't have anything to do with this...

MIRAI: Instead, it was the deranged personality of one person.

MIRAI: You know who that person is, don't you Keiko?

KEIKO: ..._It all comes down to this..._

KEIKO: _The murderer is clear to me now...even though I don't want to admit it._

KEIKO: _The murderer... the culprit to this case is..!_

**MAKE AN ACCUSATION**

::1| Keiko Umino

::2| Mirai Minoshiro

::3| Takayashi Haruna

::4| Yayoi Adachi (DEAD)

::5| Hikaru Nise

::6| Ryoko Ieyoshi

::7| Furo Shirohashi

::8| Micky Storm (DEAD)

::9| Rhyssa Kaeda

::10| Unmei Shirosaki

::11| Yoshinori Ai

::12| Kirei Nagai

::13| Noah Sloan

::14| Aikami Kaito

::15| Hideki Komiya (DEAD)

::16| Shougo Arisu

_Continued in Chapter 2: Section 8_

* * *

**AN: Confusing? Don't worry. The next chapter will explain everything, so even if you are hopelessly confused right now, just keep an eye out for the next chappie. Here though, I'll explain a few specific things that happened this chapter.**

**Basically it shouldn't have made sense that the murder weapon was the piece of glass, because of the lack of OTHER pieces of glass. If you recall, they made it perfectly clear that there was no glass around Micky's body, and during the investigation, there was also no more than one piece of glass mentioned in the trash room.**

**What also happened in this chapter was the revelation of the needle of the murder weapon. I'm afraid it was my fault in not making it clear, but a tattoo needle is much larger than a regular needle for sowing, and if enough effort is exerted, it certainly can be a murder weapon.**

**Finally, in case you didn't get it, the cape was already left behind in the trash room, meaning that the killer did nothing to create the cape. The mask however was made by the killer, and it was also established that the mask was made after Micky was murdered. Now the question is, who did it?**

**The next section in this chapter is the "thrilling" conclusion to this class trial..! I think it is pretty obvious who did the murder by this point, but what do you guys think..? Be sure to post your thoughts in your reviews...**

**Though TBH I'm not 100% proud of how this trial is turning out...it sounded much better planned out on paper, lol. Hopefully things work out for the best though..!**


	19. Chapter 2: Section 8 - Class Trial III

**AN: The murderer is revealed! For the soundtracks, refer to the list in the previous chapters. BTW I'm replying to reviews during class trials now. I feel bad not replying to things like questions and stuff, so here it is.**

**Reven228: Thanks for the review! Ace Attorney for the win!**

**Le-awesome-me: No, I haven't been able to get Dual Destinies yet unfortunately! I opted for a PS Vita instead of a 3DS for Danganronpa, but my sister said that she'd eventually lend me her 3DS for Dual Destinies. So I'll be able to play it soon...not now though. Thanks for the review!**

**Ode30: Perhaps your Top 5 isn't..? We'll see soon..! Thanks for the review!**

**MizunashiFuyuko: Strip clubs are pretty nice. Jk. I'm happy to hear that you were waiting for it, lol. Hope I didn't let you down, and hope I don't let you down this chapter (though no promises about that sadly.) Thanks for the review!**

**Titomito: We shall see right now...Thanks for the review!**

**cartoonfanatic1: The cliffhangers stop now! Thanks for the review!**

**wmsm5ever: I'm glad to hear that you'll keep reviewing it! Thanks for the review and being a loyal reviewer to the story! **

**king okami: Thanks for the review!**

**TheRoseShadow21: Actually if I'm not mistaken, Kaito's the only name whose name order was reversed. I noticed that I made that mistake a bit earlier, but I liked the sound of Kaito a bit better than Aikami. A bit better off the tongue IMO, so I just went with it. Sorry if it bothers you though. Thanks for the review!**

**New ones are:**

**Hope or Despair 2nd Mix**

**Class Trial Turbulent Edition Volume Two**

* * *

**MAKE AN ACCUSATION**

::1| Keiko Umino

::2| Mirai Minoshiro

::3| Takayashi Haruna

::4| Yayoi Adachi (DEAD)

::5| Hikaru Nise

::6| Ryoko Ieyoshi

::7| Furo Shirohashi

::8| Micky Storm (DEAD)

**::9| Rhyssa Kaeda**

::10| Unmei Shirosaki

::11| Yoshinori Ai

::12| Kirei Nagai

::13| Noah Sloan

::14| Aikami Kaito

::15| Hideki Komiya (DEAD)

::16| Shougo Arisu

KEIKO: **It could only be you!**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial ODD EDITION_

KEIKO: Rhyssa! You're the only one who could have killed Micky!

NOAH: What..?!

SHOUGO: Rhyssa? You mean the TV host Rhyssa?!

TAKAYASHI: Ack! Plot twist!

RHYSSA: W-what?!

RHYSSA: What are you saying..? Of course I didn't do that..!

NOAH: A-are you sure about that, Keiko?!

MIRAI: Well, when you think about it, consider the timeline of events again...

MIRAI: Assuming Rhyssa is the killer...

MIRAI: She could've easily just stolen the needle from Ryoko.

RYOKO: H-hold on! I'm not that easily rubbed off of!

RYOKO: ...T-though, I did give Rhyssa a tattoo earlier...

UNMEI: That **would** have been helpful to know!

RHYSSA: H-hold on! Don't just go accusing me like that!

RHYSSA: I was with you in the morning, wasn't I Keiko?

KEIKO: It's true that you were in the cafeteria. But remember when Micky and the others were fighting?

SHOUGO: You two went out to go find the others, didn't you..?

RHYSSA: W-well?! So?!

TAKAYASHI: That means you could have easily snuck into the background!

MIRAI: Let's see...Micky, Shougo, and Unmei were restrained by me, and then we all decided to split up...

MIRAI: Rhyssa then heads to the trash room.

MIRAI: Of course, it makes more sense if **Rhyssa had prepared the costume** the day before, but that doesn't necessarily mean that she made it.

RHYSSA: W-what are you saying..?

RHYSSA: Why would I kill Micky?!

MIRAI: **Rhyssa puts on the costume,** and heads out. She walks up to the library and finds Keiko apparently knocked out on the ground.

KEIKO: Though it's possible that she knew that the whole time...I mean, she was one of the "sane" people. She could've known, right?

MIRAI: Rhyssa then grabs a heavy textbook, and throws it onto Micky.

RHYSSA: I-I said wait..! Please!

MIRAI: After Rhyssa grabs the textbook and knocks out Micky, she gets the needle she has beforehand, and slices Micky.

MIRAI: Then she cleans up the glass and prepares a red herring and takes us to the trash room.

RHYSSA: W-what..?!

RHYSSA: Stop! You aren't making any sense!

NOAH: B-but...Mirai, are you sure about this?

MIRAI: Hmm? But the timeline matches up, doesn't it?

NOAH: Well, sure it does...

NOAH: But those are a series of coincedences...

NOAH: I find it hard to believe it was Rhyssa who committed this crime..!

MIRAI: Why is that?

NOAH: The motive..!

HIKARU: I thought we already thought the motive was unrelated..?

NOAH: I find it hard to believe though...

NOAH: Why would Rhyssa feel the need to kill someone?

RHYSSA: T-that's right!

RHYSSA: I have no motive to!

RHYSSA: There's no point in it!

MIRAI: ...Well, maybe we _can_ assume that the **motive is unrelated.**

MIRAI: Let's talk about how it would be possible for Rhyssa to commit the murder then.

RHYSSA: But I didn't!

KEIKO:_ How Rhyssa could have made the murder..?_

KEIKO: _Some of the aspects going in that...I think it might be obvious._

* * *

_Soundtrack: HEAT UP! 2nd Mix_

**==PHASE NINE==**

_Nonstop Debate!_

Usable Ammunition:

::1| The Movie

::2| Cape and Mask

::3| Bloody Needle and Pencil

::4| Murderous Intent

::5| Monokuma File No. 2

MIRAI: Let's assume that Rhyssa _did_ commit the murder.

MIRAI: It seems like that there are **too many coincendences, **don't you think, Noah?

NOAH: Be that as it may...

NOAH: **We should not just ignore the motive.**

RHYSSA: There was no reason for me to kill...

RHYSSA: **So why would I have?! **Why are you accusing me?!

KAITO: Are you saying that Rhyssa **prepared the mask after she killed Micky?**

KAITO: As a **red herring?**

UNMEI: B-but...how could she have?

UNMEI: **==Did she even know how to make the mask?==**

TAKAYASHI: Of course not!

TAKAYASHI: Because Rhyssa is like a dog who ate her food!

KAITO: That made no sense...

KEIKO: **You've got that wrong!**

_Ammunition Used: [The Movie]_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

KEIKO: Of course she knew how to make the mask!

KEIKO: You know why?

KEIKO: Rhyssa, wasn't it you who let us go watch the movie a second time?

RHYSSA: S-so?

KEIKO: And we rewatched it countless times!

KEIKO: That means you'd be able to get the image of the Phantom in your mind perfectly well!

RHYSSA: W-what does the Phantom even have to do with this?!

KEIKO: The Phantom? Well that's obvious!

* * *

_**ANSWER THE QUESTION: **What does the Phantom have to do with the mask?_

**Rhyssa saw it enough times.**

The Phantom decided to make the mask for her.

Rhyssa made it during the movie.

Rhyssa had Furo make it for her.

The movie hypnotized her to make the mask.

* * *

KEIKO: **This is it!**

* * *

KEIKO: Isn't it obvious? The cape in the trash room resembles the cape from the Phantom so clearly!

RHYSSA: Y-yeah? And?

KEIKO: If the cape did that, then you made the mask as a way to make us think that you were copying the killer, thus adding a **second red herring.**

RHYSSA: Hold on a minute!

RHYSSA: That would be impossible!

RHYSSA: We saw the movie **before **we went to the trash room!

KEIKO: Maybe for us...

KEIKO: But didn't you **see it a second time?**

RHYSSA: H-huh..?

MIRAI: Meowykins was definitely a bit suspicious...calling you** Rhyssa-sama **that time we saw the movie...

MEOWYKINS: I'm guilty as charged, y'all. Meow!

RHYSSA: O-okay..! Fine!

RHYSSA: I admit it! I took the time to see the movie twice!

RHYSSA: But I couldn't have done it during the investigation!

KEIKO: Well, obviously you did it sometime after you saw the motive and Micky's murder.

UNMEI: I see! So Rhyssa planned it all out beforehand, huh?

KEIKO: Though I don't really get how she knew that I'd be at the library.

MIRAI: She most likely didn't even know...

RHYSSA: Okay, okay, I get it!

RHYSSA: But that's just one! One very insightful coincedence!

RHYSSA: You can't name a second time! I know you can't!

RHYSSA: If you can, come at me!

RHYSSA: I accept your challenge!

* * *

_Soundtrack: HEAT UP! 2nd Mix_

**==PHASE TEN==**

_Nonstop Debate!_

Usable Ammunition:

::1| The Movie

::2| Cape and Mask

::3| Piece of Glass

::4| Bloody Needle and Pencil

::5| Monokuma File No. 2

RHYSSA: You think you can hit me?!

RHYSSA: Fine! What's another coincedence that would hurt me so much?

TAKAYASHI: Well, I was insane, so I wouldn't know...

TAKAYASHI: _**You must have hypnotized them yourself!**_

UNMEI: Let me think...

UNMEI: _**==Maybe she took you to a place that would be an advantage for her?==**_

RYOKO: Or maybe...

RYOKO: _**Could be that she was at the movies twice?**_

KEIKO: **I concur!**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

KEIKO: The second time...a second coincedence, huh?

RHYSSA: That's right! Can you give me one?!

KEIKO: The trash room.

RHYSSA: Huh?!

MIRAI: While it is a bit of a stretch...

MIRAI: Wasn't it **you **who reminded us of the trash room in the first place?

RHYSSA: S-so?!

SHOUGO: I-I see!

SHOUGO: That means it would be possible for Rhyssa to show you and deceive you with the red herrings!

KEIKO: We were in there searching for a while.

KEIKO: And I only found the mask **at the end of our investigation.**

KEIKO: So in short, it would have been the perfect time for Rhyssa to make the mask, and have that piece of paper loose on the floor.

RHYSSA: G-gh..!

NOAH: …

UNMEI: I remember too!

UNMEI: When she first came in to the cafeteria, she was definitely wearing a hood!

UNMEI: That was probably just the cape draped around her head, wasn't it?!

RHYSSA: A...au...

KAITO: Also, Rhyssa isn't exactly the tallest person...

KAITO: She fits the description of being short in stature well, doesn't she?

RHYSSA: ..H...hrrngh!

MIRAI: …

MIRAI: And you know what makes this worse?

MIRAI: She wasn't even manipulated. She killed on free will.

MIRAI: **I will never forgive that! Never!**

RHYSSA: …

_Music halts_

RHYSSA: ...Never?

RHYSSA: …

RHYSSA: haha...

RHYSSA: Really now...

RHYSSA: That's not like you Mirai...

RHYSSA: U...ufufu...

RHYSSA: Ufufu...

_Soundtrack: Class Trial ODD EDITION_

RHYSSA: Hahahahahahahahahah! Fuckin' A! You guys figured it out, din't ya?!

TAKAYASHI: R-Rhyssa?!

TAKAYASHI: Oh no! She's going through metamorphasis! A personality change! Just like Micky!

RHYSSA: What the fuck are you talking about..?

RHYSSA: This isn't a personality change...naw, your lookin' at the REAL RHYSSA KAEDA!

UNMEI: U-Um...it's more like the personality on TV that I see...

KAITO: It's a little more offputting, isn't it?

RHYSSA: Well, what the fuck about it?!

RHYSSA: Yi think the I can't have a multipl' personalit' do ya?!

RHYSSA: Really?!

RHYSSA: Honey, honey...the Rhyssa you saw before? That's when I'm relaxed...

RHYSSA: **But right now I'm really fuckin' pissed!**

NOAH: Y-you just admitted...

NOAH: You admitted that you committed this crime?

RHYSSA: **NCIS RHYSSA TO THE RESCUE!**

RHYSSA: Ha.

RHYSSA: **You guys know what it FEELS LIKE to be a fucking poster on some pervert's dirty wall?**

RHYSSA: I didn't want to be some fucking slut host on TV! I wanted to do something with my life! I could've been an actress!

RHYSSA: What you're seeing right now is the fucking shit I put up with for flashing my tits on TV all the fucking time!

RHYSSA: That's right! My inner rage has been releashed!

RHYSSA: The call of the dragon!

RHYSSA: So that's it! Fucking end this already then!

NOAH: …

NOAH: Wait...wait just a minute, please...

RHYSSA: Hehehe, WHAT NOW fucking Dojima?!

NOAH: …

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial Turbulent Edition Volume Two_

NOAH: We are not done yet!

KEIKO: Huh?!

RHYSSA: What now, what now...you saying I'm not the murder?

NOAH: ...Of course not.

NOAH: You admitted it yourself, didn't you?

NOAH: And that many coincendences? A little too much, don't you think..?

KIREI: S-so, what's the point of continuing this..?

KIREI: We're already to vote for the culprit, aren't we..?

RHYSSA: I bet Dojima gets a boner for me, that's why!

RHYSSA: Well door's closed today, Dojima!

NOAH: ...That's not my name...

NOAH: But one thing still bothers me.

MIRAI: ...**The motive?**

FURO: What..? That's what's bothering you? You serious?

RYOKO: Do you honestly think that she was a part of the motive..?

RHYSSA: You want to know what my motive was?

RHYSSA: Well I guess you could say that motive that Monokuma showed us was a little bonus extra!

NOAH: A bonus extra, huh..?

RHYSSA: Living my whole life as a slut? God damn, I'd hate to see another one! Which is precisely why I hated Micky!

RHYSSA: That's right. That fucking bitch cum-hungry demon whore got on my fucking nerves. Not like he was particularly nice to me either.

RHYSSA: You know what he said to me one night?

RHYSSA: He wanted to give me a fuckle.

RHYSSA: And I think I know what that means!

RHYSSA: God damn it! I mean he was worse than Ryoji's bare ass in hot springs!

NOAH: …

NOAH: However...

NOAH: Even should the motive not be related to you...

NOAH: I am a policeman. I do not let mysteries go unsolved.

KEIKO: But what mystery is there anymore..?

RHYSSA: I just told you my motive, sonny boy.

RHYSSA: What else do you want to shit on me about?!

RHYSSA: You know I'm getting **executed,** right?

RHYSSA: Just let me die...then talk about your fantasy adventure!

NOAH: …

NOAH: ...But...

MIRAI: What's bothering you is the identity of **the Phantom,** isn't it?

NOAH: ...Y-yes.

UNMEI: Does the Phantom really have an identity though...?

SHOUGO: Maybe his reasoning...is that if all the characters had an identity in that movie...

SHOUGO: The Phantom must have an identity as well.

NOAH: You went through **lengths to copycat the Phantom **as a red herring, didn't you? Even though that was an unnecessary red herring.

RHYSSA: …

RHYSSA: Ha! What's your point?

NOAH: …

KEIKO: _Does...Noah think that the Phantom is related to Rhyssa some how?_

KEIKO: _I...I'm not so sure about that though._

* * *

_Soundtrack: HOPE OR DESPAIR 2nd Mix_

**==PHASE ELEVEN==**

_Nonstop Debate!_

Usable Ammunition:

::1| The Movie

::2| Cape and Mask

::3| Textbook

::4| Murderous Intentions

::5| Return to Reality

::6| Micky's SHSL Talent

::7| Unmei's Testimony

NOAH: There is something...there is something that will definitely link **us to the murderer and the Phantom.**

KIREI: B-but, that's not likely...

KIREI: I-In fact, we never **found out who the Phantom was in the first place...**

TAKAYASHI: **_Maybe the Phantom was that Ghost Trick guy..?_**

RYOKO: Is there **really somethin' we overlooked?**

RHYSSA: Ha!

RHYSSA: There's nothing.

RHYSSA: **You didn't overlook anything!**

KEIKO: **You've got that wrong!**

_Ammunition Used: [Textbook]_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial Dawn Edition_

KEIKO: ...Mirai...I rememered just now.

KEIKO: You said something last time that there was something **strange about the textbook, **didn't you?

===_**FLASHBACK!**_

_MIRAI: Can I actually bring something up before Keiko continues?_

_MIRAI: There's something strange about that textbook..._

_===**END FLASHBACK!**_

KEIKO: That must have been it, right?

MIRAI: ...Monokuma, can we take a look at the textbook?

MONOKUMA: Upupupu, don't mind me, it's all yours!

MONOKUMA: Ah..! Having made a motive specifically tailored for someone...

MONOKUMA: While it does ruin the excitement factor a bit, it's still every bit as satisfying.

MIRAI: Let's see...

MIRAI: Ah. It's a book on the Phantom.

NOAH: What?!

RHYSSA: The?!

TAKAYASHI: Heeeeeeeeeeeell?!

KEIKO: Are you sure..?

MIRAI: Yes.

MIRAI: And when you look inside, the biography of the Phantom is shown.

* * *

**===The Phantom===**

Age: ? / Profession: Serial Killer

Spouse: N/A / Family: N/A

Rumor of a romantic link

between Rhyssa Kaeda.

That link has since been

diminished.

* * *

KEIKO: W-wait a minute...

MIRAI: There's...there's pictures too.

MONOKUMA: I remember the good old days...

MONOKUMA: Those were the Photoshop days. Rhyssa claimed them to be photoshopped, just like this buff as hell bodybuilders you see every day.

KIREI: B-but they look real..!

RYOKO: What is this? I don't remember anything about this!

RYOKO: You know, Rhyssa?!

MONOKUMA: Oh? But it was a huge scandal, you know.

RHYSSA: I would know my own scandals, thank you!

TAKAYASHI: I wonder how much she's been in..?

TAKAYASHI: T-though, I admit, if it was such a big scandal, it's strange I don't remember it either...

KEIKO: Neither do I...

KEIKO: What's going on exactly?

MONOKUMA: Upupupu...that's a subject for another day.

MONOKUMA: Right now, it seems Rhyssa found this textbook, and realized her lost love for someone.

RHYSSA: …

RHYSSA: Tch.

RHYSSA: That was pulled out of someone's ass...

RHYSSA: I can't believe there was a textbook documenting my past life with some fucking serial killer.

NOAH: R-Rhyssa...

RHYSSA: So? You satisfied yet?

RHYSSA: I copied the Phantom, got tired of Micky's shit, and killed because I knew him.

RHYSSA: My motive was that simple.

RHYSSA: Now fuck off?

MIRAI: ...Wait.

MIRAI: There's more writing.

TAKAYASHI: What's it about?

MIRAI: ...It's...it's about a woman named Andrea Slavowski.

MIRAI: I think it says that she was being targeted by the Phantom...

MIRAI: **But was killed by her bodyguard. Her bodyguard was Micky Storm.**

_Soundtrack: All All Apologies_

MIRAI: This is her diary entry.

* * *

**Diary Entry #084 by Andrea Slavowski**

_It seems like I made the right choice in hiring that fabulous guy._

_Yeah, he did it..! He totally killed the Phantom!_

_I mean, it looks like he's getting all the credit, but not like I care._

_My life was saved, after all..._

_Thank God._

_He's only 15 too...he's going to get far in life. I know it._

_Anyways, later today.._

* * *

MIRAI: And that's when the relevant details end.

RHYSSA: N-ngh..!

MONOKUMA: Upupupu, how cliched.

MONOKUMA: Our first motive was Yayoi, and she was driven by protection.

MONOKUMA: And now our second motive showed a very familiar sense of revenge, didn't it?

RHYSSA: …

RHYSSA: I don't remember any of this...

RHYSSA: But...

RHYSSA: If there's a life for me out there...no, I mean if there **was** a life for me out there...

RHYSSA: Even should it be with a serial killer like the Phantom..

RHYSSA: Micky ruined it. He killed the man who apparently loved me.

RHYSSA: So revenge is only right...you guys didn't really fancy him either, did you?

KEIKO: E-even still...

RHYSSA: Yeah, yeah. Murder is wrong...what the hell ever.

RHYSSA: I read the textbook right before I was going to knock him out.

RHYSSA: 'Course I didn't expect it to be filled with me.

RHYSSA: I just wanted to get something heavy to knock him out from above. This was way more than I wanted...

KIREI: I-I'm still a bit confused...

UNMEI: Y-yeah, me too...

KEIKO: ...Me as well.

KEIKO: Which is why...which is why I have to.

KEIKO: Spell out Rhyssa's crimes right here.

* * *

_Soundtrack: Re Climax Return_

_Chapter One_

This all starts the day that Monokuma decided to show us that motive about the Phantom, knowing full well that Rhyssa would find out the identity of him. Either that, or we'd all battle royale each other to the death. However, Rhyssa was intrigued, wasn't she?

_Chapter Two_

She decided to dress up as the Phantom in an effort to murder Micky, being tired of the way she was being treated by him. However, when she went and knocked him out...that must have been when she took a glance at the textbook. She read through and saw that Micky killed the one person who could have given her a life outside of her TV show.

_Chapter Three_

Rhyssa then stood over Micky who was tied up by Mirai with the textbook in one hand. She slammed the textbook through the glass floor, and it broke through, landing on Micky's head with a thump and knocking him out.

_Chapter Four_

Having stolen a tattoo needle from Ryoko before in secret, she then headed down to Micky's limp body, concealed by the cape that she had prepared earlier. She then sliced Micky's throat, and killed him. Of course, this was all when we were split up, trying to find the others who were influenced by Monokuma's motive. We can't forget the fact though that before all this, Rhyssa also tried to watch the movie beforehand. Meowykins calling her Rhyssa-sama without reluctancy proves this, and Meowykins even admitted it..!

_Chapter Five_

After killing Micky, she cleaned up the other glass pieces and threw them away someplace we didn't check. She then took one of the glass pieces, and soaked it in Micky's blood. That's the only plausible way for blood to have gotten all over the glass piece. In fact, she knew that most people would think that's the murder weapon. But where would it be?

_Chapter Six_

It would be in the trash room. In the end though, it was Rhyssa who beckoned us to check the trash room, wasn't it? The trash room was a random place to check, and Rhyssa was the one who knew for us to check there. It was because she wanted to confuse us with the red herring of the needle.

_Chapter Seven_  
While we were taking very long to search, Rhyssa saw this as another oppurtunity to plant more fake evidence. Using some paper left over in the trash, she made a mask out of it, a sloppy one albeit, and that was the result of the ripped piece of paper left on the ground.

* * *

"That's the end of it! That's the murder!"

I pointed my finger at Rhyssa, who was slumped over her chair.

"Rhyssa Kaeda! You killed Micky Storm, didn't you?!"

_Continued in Chapter 2: Section 9 (FINAL PART OF CHAPTER 2!)_

**AN: Noo...I did it. I pulled evidence out of my ass. I hate it. I have a feeling I had an oversight on something...maybe evidence that should have proven Rhyssa innocent. Well it seems like a cop-out to do it now but forget that evidence, because this was the way I planned the murder in the first place and Rhyssa would have been the culprit in this chapter regardless.**

**Though I sincerely apologize for any mistakes. If you are still confused, feel free to PM me so I can explain it to you and we can talk it out. Thank you, hope you enjoyed that second class trial!**


	20. Chapter 2: Section 9 - Memories

**AN: The conclusion to Chapter 2...**

**The execution isn't very bloody this time. I was going for more of a comical execution (see Mondo and Tsumiki for more details) so there won't be much blood. If you are a fan of blood, you may be disappointed.**

**PLEASE VOTE FOR YOUR FREE-TIME CHARACTERS TOO! There will actually be Free-Time events this time around for Chapter 3!**

**Reven228: Well I'm glad the trial was at least enjoyable :) Thanks for the review!**

**King Okami: I noticed that too, and I'm glad you did as well. I think it just means while Noah is supposed to calm and collected, he's still a teenager and he's still learning. If things like that are uncommon, he's bound to be shocked. Noah is just learning. Thanks for the review!**

**wmsm5ever: An excellent explanation of what I was trying to portray Rhyssa as! *clap clap* One thing though and a mini-spoiler, the execution has more to do with her troubled self rather than her SHSL talent. Thanks for reviewing, and I'm glad you liked how I portrayed her.**

**MiserableFairy13: Nice job pinpointing the evidence! For your first point, that of course was intentional since Keiko at that point knew Rhyssa did it. For your second point Furo is actually quite small :P And for your third point, well I can't deny that. Thanks for the review!**

**Celes Ludenberg: Yay for internet! Thanks for the review!**

**Le-awesome-me: Nice observations! Unfortunately though they're just mostly coincedences. For the motives though, that's different. Monokuma had to use real people, and he needed a serial killer. Since the Phantom was related to Rhyssa in that matter, he decided to have the Phantom be portrayed as the killer in the movie. Rhyssa however was able to find the textbook with information of the Phantom in it. However, the textbook isn't part of the motive, and you'll see why this chapter...The motive for Chapter 2 was intended to target everyone as it hypnotized them. Rhyssa got the most benefit of the motive though and she took action on it. Sorry for rambling, thanks for the review!**

**MizunashiFuyuko: Well it's not so much a strip club as more of a music club...Whoops! Spoiler alert! I think you misunderstood the whole bodyguard thing. You see, pre-despair, Micky was a bodyguard to a woman named Andrea Slavowski (don't worry she's a random person and won't have much to do with the story.) She had Micky as her bodyguard because the Phantom was targeting her. Rhyssa on the other hand had a secret affair with the Phantom, because they truly loved each other and the Phantom was Rhyssa's only chance for a life outside of her demeaning shows. Micky however killed the Phantom in real life, so Rhyssa took revenge on that. About the motives, you can check out "Le-Awesome'Me's" reply to her review as it explains the motive a bit better. Thanks for the review, hope you enjoy the execution!**

**Ode30: I know...Chapter 3 is always the most sad chapter IMO because we say goodbye to great characters...well, thanks for the review!**

* * *

_Soundtrack: OST 2-26 Re Despair Syndrome_

"Upupupu!" Monokuma laughed. "It seems like you guys won again!"

I took a glance at Rhyssa. She brushed her pinkish hair from the side of her face and refused to look at anyone. In fact, she seemed incredibly nonchalant, apparently not afraid of her incoming death. In a way, I think I can understand her. Maybe her death is like...a much needed sleep. I don't deny it – I felt bad when Rhyssa said how much she had to sell herself to the world because of her job.

"Though it is a bit disappointing," Monokuma said sadly. "We lost one of our fanservice characters, and also, it hasn't been even five days since the last class trial...Now I have to add another five days to the countdown counter?"

No one knew what to say. At the same time, now that Micky was gone, there would be no more need to put up with him. But, he's _dead..._ That's in a whole different league. And now our murderer was standing right in front of us. Apparently, this "Phantom" was her only life outside of her show. So...while I can't sympathize with her...I do sort of understand where she was coming from...

But trying to sympathize with a killer in the first place...was that wrong of me? Should I hate Rhyssa with all my heart..?

Because in truth, I don't.

"Alright, alright," Rhyssa said. "I failed at my attempt to get my life back...so I guess you can take it."

"H-hold on," Shougo stammered. "You don't have to rush like that."

"What's the point?" Rhyssa asked. "This isn't a life I love. In fact, I don't even _like_ it. You know, being a celebrity isn't all that it's snuffed up to be. God, what a fucking pain in the ass. You know, the network insisted that I make my bust size bigger than it actually was? Why they overplayed me like that...it sort of sucks."

"R-Rhyssa..." Kirei said sadly.

"Anyways, let's get this over with," Rhyssa said. "Yo, Monokuma."

"Yes ma'am?" asked Monokuma.

"Wanna kill me now, or are you going to wait for the next full moon?"

"Well, technically, we can't tell if it's a full moon outside or not," Monokuma said. "Not like I have a reason to go to the surface. I'm just everyone's favorite cuddly mascot."

Rhyssa sighed, and stepped up to Monokuma, and kicked him straight across the face.

"R-Rhyssa..!" I gasped, trying to reason with her.

"What? I'm being punished anyways. Might as well beat the shit out of this fucking cum twat."

Rhyssa kicked Monokuma square across the face again, and stepped on his head. Monokuma yelped with fake noises resembling pain, and he disappeared from under her feet, appearing again behind her.

"What is this blasphemy?" Monokuma asked. "Just because you're going to die doesn't mean you can attempt to murder me!"

"So kill me!" Rhyssa demanded angrily. "I _want_ to die, you here?"

"...Fine, fine," Monokuma sighed. "It appears I have to refrain from the big shiny slot machine today."

We all looked at Rhyssa. Her face was dark and sinister, and as Monokuma took out a shiny red button, Rhyssa looked at Mirai, and sneered.

"You," she said. "You know what happened when I got this textbook?"

"No," Mirai said. "Did you read a good book..?"

"I regained all of my memories," Rhyssa said.

"W-wait a minute!" Monokuma snapped. "You weren't supposed too-"

"What do you mean by that?" Noah asked. "Saying that assumes that we all -"

"Yeah, we did," Rhyssa said.

_Soundtrack: OST 2-29 Re: New World Order_

"That's the reason I killed after all...**you, me, and everyone lost their memories when coming to this island.**"

"W-what?!" I yelled.

No, that was impossible.

I remember...I approached the school that one day. I have all my memories. I remember my parents, my past school life...there was no way that we lost our memories. No, why am I even considering it? It makes no sense at all.

"I thought you murdered because you thought there would be a life for you?" Shougo asked. "Ha...no, that's the stupidest thing I ever heard."

I looked at Monokuma. For that moment...he seemed still and lifeless. Unlike his usual self. That was odd...

"I did and didn't," Rhyssa said, brushing her out of her face again. "You could also say I murdered Micky for revenge. Which is basically what we established, right? So why the shocked face?"

"It's just stupid," Ryoko chuckled. "We lost our memories. Yeah, right. Who'd believe the words of a killer..?"

"...You believed the words of Keiko, didn't you? During that trial..?"

What..? Me..?

"What about me?" I asked. "I never killed anyone. Not exactly something I can forget, you know!"

"But you did, didn't you?" Rhyssa laughed. "Honey, I am the owner of a talk show. I know your personal life – I know the personal life of everyone here. You Super Highschool students... **you are all like celebrities of hope.** So I know each and everyone of you. Except for a few people, that is."

"I don't want to listen to this anymore," Noah sighed. "She's obviously gone delusional."

"I didn't get delusional," Rhyssa protested. "Perhaps you'd like to ask Monokuma? The bear that put this whole shin-dig together?"

We looked at Monokuma with a bemused look, but that soon turned into distress. Monokuma wasn't answering at all. He wasn't moving at all. He was just a lifeless teddy bear. And that definitely stressed us out a bit. Meowykins got up in front of Monokuma and began to wave his paws around his face.

"U-Um, Monokuma-sama?" Meowykins said hopefully. "These kids are asking you a very stupid question, yeah? Meow?"

But no response.

We looked at Rhyssa again, who grinned a devilish grin.

"That textbook was like a nice memory file for me," Rhyssa said. "But perhaps you should take a look see for yourself. That textbook didn't just have information on me and the phantom."

"It didn't..?" Kaito asked. "Then.."

"Well, I wasn't lying when I said I got my memories back," Rhyssa said. "But even still...each and every one of you. Even though I didn't need the reminder, you all had a file in that textbook about yourself. To be honest, I'm surprised Monokuma left it wide out in the open like that."

"Why did you not tell us about this before, assuming you are telling the truth?" Hikaru asked.

"Relax, big guy," Rhyssa said. "It's not like I destroyed the textbook or anything. It should still be in the library safe and sound. Except, there's something strange about Yoshinori..."

Yoshinori pointed at herself. "Me?"

Rhyssa nodded. "Your information was...fairly limited. It had your height, age, and talent...but there was nothing about your past or anything."

"That's fine," Yoshinori sighed. "As long as I remember it myself..."

"You guys should freak out about these memories you lost," Rhyssa comforted. "You guys didn't forget anything important, it seems. But, one last thing, before I demand my execution to commence..."

She walked up to Mirai, who was looking at her with hopeful eyes. I know what he was thinking. Rhyssa had a file on all of the students, and it had to have had some information on Mirai. He lost his memories. If he could find out more about himself, then he would be incredibly happy. No, even more so than that. Except what Rhyssa said next was not something I was particularly expecting.

_Music halts_

"Who are you?" she asked Mirai. "There was nothing about you in that book...nothing. So who are you? What do you want from these students?"

And Mirai's face went south. His hopeful look turned into something of a tragedy, and before Mirai could speak, Monokuma bursted to life again.

_Soundtrack: OST 2-26 Re: Despair Syndrome_

"I'm back!" Monokuma snickered. "Sorry for that delay, Rhyssa. I just had to make some finishing touches on your execution."

"I find that hard to believe," Rhyssa said. "Anyways, that's it, you guys. My life ends here...my time is up."

"Upupupu, so noble," Monokuma swooned. "Rhyssa, the murderer of the biggest dickhole in school, reveals something that I planned to reveal at the big finale!"

"You mean our memories?" I asked. "Are they really gone?"

"In general, yes," Monokuma confirmed. I could hear gasps throughout all of us. Even my heart sank as the mastermind behind all of this confirmed what Rhyssa told me. There was no reason for her to life after all... "More specifically, you all lost the memories **of your precious school lives.**"

"Our school lives?" I asked. "What do you mean by that?"

Monokuma slapped himself in the forehead, deeply offending me. "You lost the memories of your time at Hope's Peak Academy!"

"...But we are at Hope's Peak Academy," Noah said. "Or, in this case, your version of it."

"And I remember just arriving to Hope's Peak like a week ago!" Takayashi exclaimed. "So this bear and post menstrual host are lying after all!"

"Upupupu," Monokuma laughed. "She's not lying, and I'm not lying. But if that's what you want to believe, it's none of my concern. Not like I wanted to reveal that to you anyways, right?"

Monokuma turned to Rhyssa, and bowed down. "For you, miss, I have prepared a very special punishment. I hope you enjoy it, you psychotic emo bitch!"

"Thank you," Rhyssa said sarcastically, as she kicked Monokuma once more. Monokuma growled and climbed up to the judges seat. He positioned the red button, took out a gavel, and slammed it with all his might.

* * *

**GAME****OVER**

**Rhyssa Kaeda has been pronounced guilty. Commencing execution...**

_Soundtrack: Oshioki feat. Puppet Girl_

Rhyssa Kaeda was stood up on a platform with a candy cane pole in the middle. While she was wearing nothing but a bikini, Monokuma got up in the audience seat and took out a hunter's rifle. He cocked the trigger, and took aim.

**DANCE DANCE, REVOLUTION**

Monokuma fired the gun once, and the bullet sped past Rhyssa's foot, grazing it slightly. Rhyssa grunted in pain, as Monokuma fired again. Rhyssa dodged it, using the pole was gravitation. Monokuma continuously fired the gun, and Rhyssa continuously dodged, in the process, giving a proper pole dance. Rhyssa continued to dance, and Monokuma continued to fire, until Meowykins ripped up pieces of the Phantom's photo in front of Rhyssa. Distracted, Monokuma shot the final shot, and the bullet lodged in Rhyssa's throat.

In her final moments, Rhyssa sadly reached her hand out for the shredded photograph, and she clutched the remaining pieces close beside her heart. Monokuma then buried her in dollar bills, with Meowykins clapping for Rhyssa's effort.

**(AN: in short Rhyssa was pole dancing to avoid the bullets until she got distracted and was shot in the throat. the reason why I included dollar bills? Lol you all know what they do with dollar bills at strip clubs... btw you might want to read this execution again with Highschool of the Dead in mind. At the very least I made myself laugh xD)**

* * *

"W-well, that was a little strange," Monokuma admitted as the execution ended.

"D-did she really just do that?" Furo stammered. "Why didn't she just..? Never mind..."

"Ahem...well," Noah coughed. He breathed out a heavy sigh, and looked at the ceiling.

It seems like this execution had some mixed reactions.

And another one passed. Rhyssa Kaeda, who killed Micky Storm, has left us.

I took a glance at Mirai, and I could see him tear up. Mirai...his memories had all disappeared. And Rhyssa literally confirmed to him that there was no way to get it back.

Mirai dropped to the floor, and crouched up in a ball, crying softly to himself. We all looked at him in sadness, and reminded ourselves of Rhyssa's execution. Yet I didn't know who to comfort...Rhyssa was killed, and Mirai was crying.

This truly is a life of despair.

_Well, well, well..._

_Keiko Umino...it seems like thing have taken a turn, haven't they?_

_Yes, well, in your case, I do pity you..._

_No one should have to suffer that much despair..._

_Of course, back there, I would say that Rhyssa's death would be a stepping stone for hope, but..._

_In this case, there's nothing but despair at all!_

_Hahahaha!_

_I truly am blessed..!_

_Blessed that I could witness this withering flower with my own eyes!_

_Will it grow back to its roots and sprout again?_

_Or will it finish withering into despair..?_

_Although human scum like me shouldn't be able too..._

_Ah..! I truly am glad I can witness this!_

_No matter of how much a sin it may be..._

_I truly am..._

_Happy._

**AN: BTW that's not a poem or anything it's someone inner monologueing. (however you spell it idk)**

**Hope you enjoyed Chapter 2! Bye..!**


	21. Chapter 3: Section 1 - 28 Days Later

**AN: Thanks everyone so much for 200+ reviews! I was amazed to find out that I had reached that mark! **

**Wow! It felt like just yesterday when I uploaded the Prologue! I got an amazing number of forms and every time I see a review, my day is made. I appreciate every one of you following my story. In fact, you're the only reason I make this! I know it sounds preachy and cliche, but it's the truth. I mean we're already at the third chapter, after all.**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Persona – Aria of the Soul_

…

"Nanako," I said immediately. My face was grim and saddened. Like I thought, Nanako was the only one sitting across the table. The room was familiarly dark. The only light was the natural moonlight that shone out of the marvelous window. Yet here I was, strapped in a chair, having something drained from my body. But the weird thing was...I didn't feel that same hostility when I came here. "Nanako, please tell me...what's going on?"

Nanako shook her head. "As much as I'd like to help you, it is beyond my jurisdiction to."

"Why?" I asked, my voice frail. "Why?!"

"Hmm," Nanako observed. "It seems like you are a bit more emotional today. I would like to know why, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't already know..."

I could feel my face turn a bit hot, and I was never happier that I was baked in a crisp, cool darkness. Though considering my certain situation, I felt a bit silly that I was worrying that my face was starting to turn red.

"W-what are you talking about..?"

"Mr. Lost Memory," Nanako chuckled. Her tone of voice was sad for some reason...I couldn't tell why. Maybe she went through tragedy too..? "I wish to feel what you feel. I used to know as well, but unfortunately, no matter how much I want to, I cannot help you. If Mirai dies, it is beyond my control."

"You just said his name," I choked. "Do you know everyone's name..?"

"Of course I do," Nanako said proudly. "However, as much as I'd like too..."

"You'd like to do many things," I sighed, interrupting her. Nanako chuckled at my outburst, and I could hear her get out of her seat.

"Like I was saying, while I'd love to idly chat, it is not why I summoned you here again."

"Then why?" I asked.

"What Rhyssa revealed to you must have been quite a shock, hasn't it?" Nanako asked.

"Obviously it's not true though, right?" I asked hopefully. Yet Nanako's answer was not what I was hoping for at all.

"Unfortunately, Rhyssa was telling the truth. You have no memory of your school life at Hope's Peak Academy."

My heart sank, and at the same time, I grew confused. "What does that even mean? I remember standing in front of Hope's Peak for the first time just a few days ago...and now I'm alternating between sitting in this chair and fighting in a battle royale coliseum!"

"I just needed to confirm your doubts," Nanako said. "The answers are for you to find on your own."

"Why..?" I asked. "Why can't you tell me and end this all?"

"There's a very good reason why," Nananko said, her tone turning grim. "Unfortunately, that will not be revealed to you until the end of your journey."

"My journey..?"

"Every journey someone takes always has to have a beginning, and an end. That journey you take...well, that depends on each person. I've been on a journey, and my master has been on a journey. Perhaps it wasn't particularly similar to yours, but it was journeys we had to take. You have to carry this out on your own. For you to do that, this is all the help I can offer you."

I shook my head furiously. "I don't understand..! I know you aren't a bad person, Nanako...so why can't you help me?!"

"I apologize sincerely," Nanako said. There was indeed sincerity in her voice.

The chair shuffled aside, and Nanako approached me slightly. Although even by the slightly lit window, I could not see her face. I struggled to with all my might, yet there was no hope. Nanako apologized once more, and snapped her fingers, envloping me in a bright white. As I whited out, Nanako spoke a few words.

"Do not worry," she started. "You will remember what I said. You will recognize the futile truth that your school life memories have in fact disappeared. What you will do with the information is beyond me."

Just like before a murder, huh..?

Heh...

* * *

_==NANAKO'S REPORT CARD HAS BEEN UPDATED==_

ID: Nanako / Role Unknown

|||Nanako revealed the despairing truth that Keiko's memories have indeed disappeared.|||

Closeness Level: 4 == **Level Up!** == 5

* * *

_**Location: Keiko's Room | Time: 7:00 AM | Chapter Three | TIMER PAUSED**_

"_Good morning, everyone!" _blared Monokuma's voice through the intercom. _"It's now 7:00 AM! Rise and shine! Let's make today the best day it can be!_"

I opened my eyes to the sound of Monokuma's unsightly voice. That night was an unrestful night. I'm not sure if I was able to sleep at all, though I do faintly remember having a dream. I brushed it off and stretched as I climbed out of my bed. As I was changing, terrible memories managed to pour into my head. I remembered Hideki, and his odd, but cute obsession over games. I remembered Yayoi and her apparent innocence. She was also straight to the point, and a bit paranoid at times, but I still wouldn't point that out as something bad. I remembered Micky before we got to know the real him. He was a bit flamboyant but still fun to be around. Lastly, I remembered Rhyssa. She seemed to be more than she was. A stressed out teenager because of what her show does to her personally. She seemed so normal...so how could she even kill?

Finally changing, I headed outside to the cafeteria. I wasn't sure how long these "daily meetings" were going to last, but it didn't hurt to go to one anymore. I walked down the long glass hallway slowly, thinking about everyone. I never expected another murder, and now that two more people were killed, I can't think like that anymore. I want to trust everyone here, but at this rate, it's impossible. It hasn't even been a week since Hideki's death, and Micky was already killed by the hands of Rhyssa.

Before I knew it though, I was in front of the cafeteria. The large metal doors stood right there as a barrier between me and the others. I wondered what the others would be like, and how they would react when I walked in. Would they avert their gazes and not look at me? What would they do...so I opened the doors unsure of how they would act.

And I was pleasently surprised.

* * *

_Soundtrack: Persona 4 – Like a Dream Come True_

**(AN: I can't believe I never remembered this BGM from Persona 4. The perfect happy music IMO.)**

"Yo!" Ryoko called out. Almost everyone was at the table eating...and they were holding bright happy faces. Even though four people were killed in less than a week...they all seemed to be happy? "You going to eat Keiko, or can I have your share?"

"R-Ryoko..?" I stammered. "What's going on..? Why's everyone so happy?"

"Well, why shouldn't we be?" Furo asked.

"I mean, two people died yesterday, right..?"

Noah got up from the seat and gave me a slight smile. "We all agreed that if we act depressed and emotionless after the deaths of four of our friends, we'd never be able to work together and get out of this."

"True story bro!" Takayashi exclaimed. "We're going to play soccer in the gymnasium after this! Luckily I don't think the gymnasium is made of glass..."

I was a bit taken aback, and they seemed to sense my reluctance.

"You shouldn't be upset over those deaths," Kaito said. "Er, no, I said that wrong..."

"Wow, an expert with his words said the wrong thing!" Unmei said sassily. "What happened?"

Ignoring her, Kaito continued. "Instead, use those deaths as your strength..."

"My strength, huh..? Sounds like a corny anime."

"Well, true," Kaito laughed. "But we won't forget those four that left us, will we? I'm sure they're watching us somewhere, happy for us that we're able to work together like this."

"Though we're not really at that point yet," Furo sighed. "I guess it'll take a few more days for us to actually get working."

I pondered this for a while, and I guess you could say I liked the idea. I nodded in agreement, and sat down with my breakfast.

"G-good morning, Keiko," Kirei greeted. "How did you sleep?"

"Oh, not well," I admitted. "I don't think I've been able to get a good sleep at all lately."

"We're all like that," Unmei agreed. "Don't feel bad about it. When we get a good lead on how to get out of here, I think that's when we're going to be able to sleep comfortably."

"Agreed!" Yoshinori said. "For now though, the timer is paused right?"

"And Monokuma should have added five more days to the countdown timer," Noah observed . "Which means since yesterday, the timer was at fourty-six days, we should now have a good fifty-one days to work out these mysteries."

"I think we should take today as a day off," Ryoko sighed. "Won't do any good to work for nearly two months, right?"

"I'm in agreement," Noah chuckled.

"We are playing soccer though, right?" Takayashi asked. "Because I'm eager to show off my mad skills, dude!"

"Of course we are," Shougo laughed. "I have to warn you though, I'm pretty good at the game myself."

"But...what about our memories?" I asked. I had a strange feeling...that the memory thing was the truth.

"I-I think Rhyssa was lying," Kirei told me. "I remember everything after all...teehee."

"Yeah! No way she's telling the truth!" Yoshinori remarked.

I smiled at all of this. I thought it remarkable that we were able to recover from our slump like this. Even Shougo, who should be one of the most depressed out of us, was able to socialize. I guess Kaito was right. Through the deaths of our friends, we've all changed and grown stronger... I hate sounding like a preacher, but it's true.

"Hey!" I yelled. "Don't exclude the cowgirl, please!"

"This shall be interesting," Hikaru chuckled. "As a prisoner, although I did not enjoy being one, I've garnered up a decent amount of physical strength. Who will win, I wonder..? Me or speed?"

"Speed, of course," Takayashi said. "I'm the fastest one here, after all! I didn't get into this school because I was some regular jockey at a normal highschool playing varsity! I could have gone pro, yo!" She said all this with a peace sign.

Through all this happiness, I noticed something. One of us here...was missing. Missing out on all of this.

"H-hey, guys, did you see Mirai today?" I asked.

"Oh, Mirai..." Unmei said sadly. "No, I didn't see him...but I feel really bad for him."

"As do I," Noah said. "No one should be denied their pasts like that...I couldn't imagine going my life without remembering my childhood."

"...Maybe we should go get him?" I asked. "I don't know if it's the best for Mirai to be alone like that."

"You do not have to worry," Hikaru reassured. "Mirai is the type of character to rebound from things like that. I suppose now is a good time for him to be alone and think about things."

I nodded. "I guess you're right. Though I still feel really bad..."

"We all do," Yoshinori said. "But it'll just make us even happier when Mirai comes back to us with his usual, dumbfounding self, right?"+

She gave me a thumbs up, and I gave her one back, letting out a smile. It really was nice for us to come together like this...so nice, that I didn't even want to finish my breakfast. I took the food from my tray and threw it into the trash can, and since everyone had already finsihed eating, I stood up on the table.

"Let the soccer game begin!"

Everyone cheered, and we ran out of the cafeteria like a group of kids coming home in the snow. Excited, immature, but most importantly, happy.

I couldn't ask for anything more!

* * *

_**Location: The Gymnasium | Time: 7:47 AM | Chapter Three | TIMER**_ **_PAUSED_**

"Okay! Who wants me on their team?" Takayashi yelled. "Though elite I am, I will choose myself! So chop, chop! Make teams of six on the double!"

"But there are eleven of us here," Furo said. "One team will have six players, that means, unless we're using substitutes."

Sounds good to me!

I had my doubts of having a full soccer game in the gymnasium, but I was surprised. Walking into the gym, it was the size of a football field. It was stretching it to have a soccer game when we could have done a lot more!

The teams were split up (by Takayashi of course) at random. It was Takayashi, me, Kirei, Ryoko, Unmei, and Yoshinori on one team, and Noah, Hikaru, Furo, Kaito, and Shougo on the other team.

"W-wait a minute," Kaito said suddenly. "Isn't this just boys versus girls then..?"

"What's the problem with that?" Unmei asked defensively.

"E-er, n-nothing," Kaito mumbled. "N-nothing at all."

"You stuttered WAY too much to be considered a word twister," Takayashi laughed. And I couldn't help but laugh too.

We started playing at the sound of Takayashi's scream. Halfway through the match, it was an easy win for the girls. Even though Unmei and Kirei weren't terribly atheletic, Takayashi helped us a lot, and it's not like I was terrible at soccer.

"Woohoo!" Ryoko cheered. "Kick their asses, Takayashi!"

"Across the field! Super kick!" Takayashi screamed.

If only this could have lasted forever...

If only we could have lived real school lives like this...

That would have been nice, wouldn't it?

_Soundtrack: AoE Second Suite Movement 5P+3P_

"Meow!" Meowykins yelled at us, interrupting us during our game. "May I ask what y'all are doing?!"

And here comes one of Monokuma's jesters, here to ruin the fun.

"We're playing a soccer game!" Rhyssa snapped. "What's it to ya, you defective puppy dog?"

"I'm not defective at all!" Meowykins protested. "Besides, I don't see how you are all acting so funny like this..! Shouldn't you be investigating a little bit?"

"Investigating?" I asked. "About what? This is like our day off..."

"Oh, right," Meowykins remembered. "The timer is set off...is that why you are all acting so happy towards each other?"

"T-that's right," Kirei confirmed.

Meowykins began laughing for some reason, and he scratched the back of his head with his paw as he gave us news that no one would want to hear.

"Listen up, y'all! You think Monokuma will let you off with an entire 51 days to investigate this? No way, man! I work behind the scenes with that bear, and I'll tell you, you have only 28 days left, you hear?!"

_Music halts_

W-what did he just say..?

Twenty days..?

"B-but, that's leagues away from fifty," I stammered.

"Yeah, but Monokuma-sama realized that giving y'all more than a month to do this was stretching it a bit," Meowykins laughed. "So me and him came to a mutual agreement."

_Soundtrack: OST 2-26: Re Despair Syndrome_

"**You now only have 28 days to explore the mysteries surrounding this school...can you do it? Meow...I wonder..."**

"But that is definitely not enough time!" Noah protested. "How are we going to..?"

"Don't worry," Meowykins said. "In compensation for not getting a reward for your survival through the second class trial, Monokmua and I decided to expand your school life a bit!"

"What do you mean by that?" Unmei asked. "What are you going to do?"

"What do you mean?" Meowykins asked in return. "We aren't going to do anything to you. You now have a second glass dome to explore...and it's much better than this first one."

"You mean there's another place like this?!" Furo asked with anger in his voice. "How the hell is that even possible?"

Meowykins shook his head. "Nuh-uh-uh! That's a mystery, and you have to find that out, don'tcha? Meow! Catch ya later!"

Meowykins then disappeared, leaving us in a petrified state.

A second dome..? More accurately, a second "school" or "coliseum" like this..? But why..? Literally just a few minutes ago, we were having a soccer game! So...why?

I looked at the others. There faces were stone cold. Starting tomorrow, we have four weeks to solve the mysteries of the school. Otherwise, if Meowykins was telling the truth, we'll be dead. We will have drowned underwater in this terrible place.

"M-Maybe this won't be so bad," Yoshinori said. "We're getting access to a new place, right?"

"That could only mean more hints!" Unmei said with optimism in her voice.

But no matter what the two said, most of us didn't return that optimism at all. We all just remembered the dire situation we were in...it definitely wasn't a good one.

_Continued in Chapter 3: Section 2 _

**AN: I know, I know, short chapter. TBH though the (ab)normal days arc for this will be a lot longer than four chapters (or so I plan.) this is because I've been focusing mostly on the trials and I don't think I'm focusing on the overarching story itself. So I hope to end that with Chapter 3. (No real promises of course though...things always go wrong, lol.)**


	22. Chapter 3: Section 2 - A Rabid Doggy

**AN: Sorry for not updating lately, guys. I planned to do daily updates during winter break but I was busy these past couple of days.**

**Last time, Monokuma had opened up new areas for the students to explore...what will they find? Also I realized I forgot to reply to your reviews last chapter so I'm doing a joint reply today that will cover both reviews you guys made.**

**King Okami: Thanks for the review! 28 days is a bit little isn't it? Hopefully the gang can pull through.**

**MiserableFairy13: Thanks for the review! If you don't want to know I won't tell you xD. Also I'm sorry for posting your review twice. I approved your guest review before I could see you added one on your user account. **

**Ode30: Oh all characters are important! No I get what you mean, :P. Is it Komaeda? Is it Kokopuffs? Who knows, who knows...maybe it's not. Next chapter wasn't dangerous though, lol. Thanks for the free-time nominations and the review!**

**MizunashiFuyuko: Sorry if it offended you, it was not my intention and was supposed to be more comedy than a weapon. Thanks for the Free-Time nominations! Also, the diner is on an island. When a class trial starts, they board a submarine and head to a themed island to hold their class trials. So basically it looks exactly like a normal courtroom, except it is outdoors and the backgrounds of course are much more extravagant. **

**Gingericus19: Thanks for the review! I did in fact try to make it close to the game. Trying something new. **

**Reven228: I stated in an author's note before that I will continue the other story, but it will no longer be tied in with this one. This is because the other story that was supposed to tie in with this one is just bad. I realize it, and I don't like how I wrote it in the first place, so I'd rather not combine them and I'd rather focus on Alpha only. **

**Wmsm5ever: Your troll fics by the way are golden, lol. Love what you did with Rhyssa and Micky there. Thanks for the review!**

**Celes Ludenberg: Glad you like football, lol. I'm no good at it at all so I stay way away from it. I replied to you in a PM and I hope I didn't spoil much even though I didn't tell you anything really important. Thanks for the review!**

**TheRoseShadow21: The executions are always strange though lol. And yes, time is very sensitive, isn't it? Thanks for the review!  
**

**LeTantris: Glad you like it! I'm happy to see someone else enjoy and follow my story, so thanks for your review, and I hope I continue to deliver!**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Beautiful Ruin [Summer Salt Version]_

Just a few moments before, we were told by Meowykins that we had only 28 days left to resume our investigation, as we apparently had too much time. But in compensation for that, we were given access to a brand new "glass dome," which was how Meowykins described it. Even if it would give us new leads, all I had were bad feelings.

To get to the other dome, Meowykins was there to greet us at the entrance hall. We walked into the submarine that we'd take to the class trials, and Meowykins took us to the second dome. I could see it from afar; it was huge. Definitely something that I would have noticed on the way to the islands. So why couldn't we notice it before..? As we docked to the entrance, we were greeted by an astonishingly similar hall compared to our first dome. However, when we walked towards the crossroads near the middle of it, it was all completely different.

This dome didn't have a second floor unlike the first one. Instead it had a long walkway of different rooms and facilities, sort of similar to a classroom hall. It was a bit unsettling to be completely honest, so instead of exploring the different rooms at random, I decided to go left to right. Walking towards the left of the building, something tugged at the end of my shirt. It was Mirai, who was forced to come along by Meowykins.

"U-um, Master," Mirai started. "May I explore with you..?"

I nodded and gave Mirai a smile. The last thing he needed was a rejection. Mirai nodded and stood close to me, though it was in more of a fearful way, rather than an attracted way. We set off, ready to explore the second dorm. Luckily the timer was still paused, so we'd have enough time to process the information when we got back...

* * *

_**Location: The AV Room | Time: 9:14 AM | Chapter Three | TIMER PAUSED**_

Opening the door to the AV Room, Mirai and I were blasted by a cold wind. The air conditioning in this place was on extremely high... it was freezing in the room. Mirai cuddled close to himself to stay warm as I explored the room.

The first thing that immediately came to my attention was a large cluster of computers. Unfortunately, they were all disconnected and there were no wires or anything to start them up. In short, they were completely useless. There was a large bin of clustered wires in the back of the room, except it would be impossible to tell which computers they belonged to. Pondering that, the door opened behind me, and Kirei walked in.

"O-oh! Hello, Keiko," Kirei said. "Are you exploring this room too..?"

"Yup," I said, sighing. "If we could get just one of those computers to boot up, that would be great, but they're missing their wires. I found a bin over here, but there's so many different wires, it's impossible to tell which they belong to."

"I-I may be of assistance," Kirei offered. "I'm a maid, so tedious tasks like these are my specialty..!"

"A-are you sure?" I asked. "I don't want to force you to do anything you don't want."

"Don't be silly," Kirei smiled. "This is the one thing I'm good at, so I'd be happy to do it."

I nodded, and smiled. "Well, if you're up to the challenge...maybe I should help though?"

"With this many wires, you might just get in the way," Kirei said. Her brutal honesty offended me just a little bit, but it didn't bother me much. She was probably right anyways.

Nothing else in the room exactly caught my eye, so I decided to leave the wires to Kirei and come back later. Perhaps she'd be able to connect the computers together and boot them up..? The computers themselves looked to be in good condition, but the connection cords (the wires) were completely gone.

"Come on, Mirai," I said. "You're coming with me, right?"

"...M-maybe I should stay," Mirai said in a monotone voice. "I-I can help Kirei, right?"

"She said that we'd just get in the way," I sighed. "You should probably leave the hard stuff to her...it's in her talent after all."

"O-oh, right," Mirai said. "Her talent...her talent... Her talent, huh..?"

Crap. I hit a sour note.

"S-sorry!" I said immediately. "Did that offend you?"

"I'm alright," Mirai responded, smiling. I let out a sigh of relief. Maybe I should let Mirai stay...

"You want to help Kirei because you want to search for your talent, is that it?" I asked. "If that's what you really want, then you could stay."

Mirai nodded slightly, but hesitated. "I don't know...if I'm not good at it, I'd just be in Kirei's way..." Noticing how Mirai didn't call Kirei "master" this time around, I raised an eyebrow. Mirai didn't notice by reaction to what he said, and shuffled his feet.

"Well, maybe when we get back to the first dome, I can help look for your talent with you," I offered.

"...You will?" Mirai asked me, looking up. His eyes had a familiar look to it. He showed me the face of a kicked puppy before.

"Of course," I said nodding. "We're friends, right?"

"...Friends?" Mirai asked, tilting his head. "I always saw you as my Master..."

"W-well, that's going a bit far, don't you think?" I asked awkwardly.

"I guess so," Mirai said. He seemed to be lost in thought.

Mirai got up, and I led him out the door to explore the other sections of the dome. We weren't done yet, and I decided to let Kirei explore the magical world of wires on her own.

* * *

_**Location: The Daycare Center | Time: 9:33 AM | Chapter Three | TIMER PAUSED**_

Well...this was a bit different. I never expected Monokuma to have set up an actual daycare room. Walking in it was a bit surreal. There was a big furry carpet on the ground with buildings blocks. There was also a large crate of toys in the back of the room. There was even a mini slide for toddlers.

"Hey, hey, hey, Keiko and Mirai!" Takayashi exclaimed. She was standing in the middle of the room, and seemed excited for some reason.

"Hi," I greeted. "Why are you so excited..?"

"It's a daycare room!" Takayashi said with happiness. "Toys, toys, and more toys! I love playing with toys!"

"We're not here to play with toys though, unfortunately. Besides, haven't you sort of grown out of the stage of Legos and My Little Pony dolls?"

"You're never to old to dedicate your life to a bit of pony roleplay!" Takayashi said happily. "Hmm...I wonder of Rhyssa would have liked this place."

"Rhyssa..? Why her?"

"Well, I know she was sort of a star since she was a kid," Takayashi said, a twinge of sympathy in her voice. "Maybe she never got to play with this kind of stuff?"

Takayashi could've been right, though I didn't want to think about that. It was a little depressing to think about that, and we had more pressing matters on hand.

I walked to the back of the room to investigate the large crate filled with toys. I could sense Mirai scanning the toys to check if he knew what they were. He reached down and picked up a Lego piece, and held it to his face.

"What is this?" he asked, very interested. "It looks like candy."

"They're not edible," I responded. "They're sort of like building blocks."

"Huh? You don't know what Legos are, Mirai?" Takayashi asked, stunned. "I didn't know that memory loss extended to toy usage."

"Building blocks..?" Mirai asked himself. "But they don't look like blocks..."

"Want me to teach you how to use them?" Takayashi asked playfully. "I'm an expert at the knowledge of Lego-jitsu!"

"That's not a thing," I sighed. "You can stay with Takayashi if you want though."

Mirai took another look at the Lego, and nodded towards me, smiling. He acted like a small child. While it would be rather strange in the case of a normal highschooler, it was a bit cute for Mirai. Also, it wasn't something strange in the case of Mirai. He lost all of his memories, and somehow most of his common sense. It's probably best if he kept learning. I left Takayashi to teach Mirai about the toys, and I headed out, heading to another room.

* * *

_**Location: Drama Room | Time: 9:50 AM | Chapter Three | TIMER PAUSED**_

So this is a drama room, huh..?

The room was filled with half-finished set pieces and costumes spread all over the floor. There were also dirty lockers that were spread across the room. Opening them, they were also filled with strange costumes, but that's to be expected in a room dedicated to acting. You're probably going to see some _strange_ things.

But other than the clothes and set pieces, nothing else seemed out of place. I decided to leave, since there wasn't particularly anything I was interested in. Well, to be more accurate, everything in there was interesting. It really was a strange room.

I decided to go somewhere else after finishing up. Though it was a bit strange. There was only one more room after this and everyone seemed to be somewhere else. Only Kirei and Takayashi were in different rooms...I wonder where everyone else is?

* * *

_**Location: Pet Pound | Time: 10:01 AM | Chapter Three | TIMER PAUSED**_

By the time I got to the fourth and final room for the dome, I was a little flabbergasted. Mantled onto the door leading to this room was a piece of paper with the words "Pet Pound" scribbled over it. Yet even though I should have expected the worst, I didn't expect this at all.

_Soundtrack: Re DISTRUST_

"W-what is this?" Noah stammered.

"Kyaaa! This shouldn't happen to anybody!" Unmei screamed.

"U-Um! How exactly did they even get here?" Yoshinori asked in shock.

I walked over to take a look, and everyone was crowded around rows and rows of cages. Inside these cages were animals. I saw a German Shepard (that seemed to have rabies), an alligator restrained inside a cage, and at the end of the room was little pool that had a goddamn Great White shark in it. And that wasn't the end of it. Around the room were tons of sick and hostile animals.

"What the hell is this?!"

"Upupupu!" Monokuma laughed as he popped up. "So? How do you guys like my little petting zoo over here? Go on, they won't bite! Well, they probably will. But they're still very cute!"

"M-Monokuma, how did you get a Great White shark in here?" Noah asked, still shocked.

"Hmm? Oh, that thing? Me and that shark are tight friends, yo. There's no need to act shocked. It's not like I'm mistreating these animals or anything."

"That german shepard clearly has rabies!" Yoshinori cried.

"Does he?" Monokuma asked. "Did he forget to take medication?"

"They can't take medication on their own," Kaito sighed.

I walked over to one of the cages. Indeed, the germand shepard was foaming at the mouth, and he was spazzing around in his tight cage. He was sick, at the very least.

"W-well, we need to treat them, right?" I asked.

"Why would we treat a hostile animal like that..?" Ryoko asked.

"They are dangerous," Shougo sighed. "In our current situation, I'm not sure it's best to have them around."

I could hear the dog whimper a little bit, and I walked over. Kneeling down, it seemed like the germand shepard wasn't completely hostile. Though of course, that could be because he or she was sick, and weak.

"Well, if you want to treat them, you can consult the Meowykins Vet. Just call 1-800-588-2853-3928-2910-8592-9109."

"What kind of phone number is that..?" Furo asked in exhaustion. "Jesus Christ..."

"May I please point your attention to something else?" Monokuma asked politely. "If you ever wish to unlock one of these cages..."

"Why in hell would we do that?" Ryoko asked angrily, interrupting Monokuma.

"Ahem... Like I said, if you would like to unlock one of these cages, these locks are very simple. They work a little like bathroom locks...there is a handle, and if you pull on it, the door will be unlocked. In conclusion, that would also mean the animals will be wild enough to eat everyone inside!"

"So that's the reason why you're telling us this?" Noah asked. "Because you expect us to use these animals as weapons?"

"Well it's unique," Monokuma offered. "And it sets up the perfect crime."

"...No, that should be near impossible," Shougo said. "If you open up one of the cages, the animal inside will immediately jump at you, right? So how can you open the cages without killing yourself?"  
Monokuma didn't answer for a second, and then he sighed. "Aw, shucks. You just had to ruin the fun, didn't you?" Monokuma stuffed his paws into his forehead and shook his head, sighing.

"You wanted one of us to die by accident?!" Yoshinori asked, mortified.

"Well it wouldn't have been my fault, would it?!" Monokuma yelled. "Sheesh."

I looked at the wild animals once more. They were all shaking in their cages, ravaging inside. One of the cages stacked up fell inside the pool where the shark was. I think you can imagine what happened from there. We all looked away, mortified.

"I-I think I had enough of this room," Yoshinori said. As she spoke, the door slid open.

"Why's everyone gathered in here..?" Kirei asked.

Takayashi and Mirai followed inside, and they all stared around. Mirai walked up to the animal cages, and looked at the german shepard.

"Ooh," Mirai said. "You're a cute doggy!"

"That is the scariest kind of dog!" Takayashi yelled. "Get back too, Mirai! That dog will bite you."

"Aw, come on," Mirai said.

"W-w-what is this?!" Kirei asked. "What are with all of these wild animals?!"

"I don't even want to know how Monokuma got them all down here," Takayashi sighed.

"A-anyways, let's all get out," Yoshinori said. "I don't know if I can..."

"**Ow!"**

_Soundtrack: Re Monokuma's Extracurricular Lesson_

Mirai held his hand in pain as the german shepard inside the cage began to bark wildly. Blood seeped down into his shirt, and he rubbed it gingerly.

"That hurt..." Mirai whined. "Bad dog!"

"D-did the dog just bite Mirai?" Unmei asked, taken aback.

"Ahh!" Kirei screamed. "Quick! Someone has to treat him! That dog is infested with rabies, isn't it?!"

"Oh? Did Mirai get bitten?" Monokuma asked. "Upupupu, that's funny! And here I thought we wouldn't get any free entertainment!"

I ran over and took his hand. It was bleeding, and there were teeth marks spread across. He wasn't bitten just once...it had to have been at least three times. There was no way Mirai wouldn't have gotten sick.

"W-wait a minute," I said. "Can someone not treat Mirai?!"

I took a look at Mirai's face, but he seemed completely calm...irrationally calm.

"None of us is a doctor..!" Yoshinori said sullenly. "Monokuma! You can save him, right?!"

"Why me?" Monokuma asked. "I've gone through this before! None of my calories is worth that airhead trash!"

"But the rules!" Yoshinori pointed out. "No one can...no, no one **should** die here unless it's by someone else! You have an obligation to save Mirai!"

"We've done this before in the big islands," Monokuma said. "There's no way I'm falling for it this time! I already had to give this kid like a million stitches, and turn this heavyweight into a big robot with soda spilling out of his eyes! Why would I save him?"

"I don't even know what you're talking about, but you have too!" Yoshinori protested. "You need to follow the rules too, right?! So do it! Save Mirai!"

"...Oh for heaven's sake," Monokuma sighed. "Alright, I guess I have to do it again."

Meowykins popped up out of nowhere as he waved his hands around Monokuma's face.

"Meow! Monokuma-sama! What are you doing?!" Meowykins asked yelling. "You cannot! You musn't!"

"And why not?" Monokuma asked, tilting his head. "I am a one track mind bear. Even though I don't want to, I have to follow the rules, don't I?"

"M-Meow!" Meowykins screamed. "Grr!"

"Oh well, Meowykins, please prepare the ambulance."

"Ambulance..?" Meowykins asked. "A-Alright, meow...I'll go get it."

We waited for a few moments. Mirai's eyes were turning slightly red, but he still seemed to be fine. With three bites from a rabid dog though, the symptoms that should be popping up were coming quite slowly. That of course was a good thing. Mirai looked around and shuddered. He was clearly scared.

"Uhh, what's happening, master?" Mirai asked me. "Why is everyone so worried..?"

His hand continued to bleed as I stared at him. Did he not know what a rabid dog could do to him? There are limits to lack of common knowledge!

"Just forget it!" I said. "Wait here...you're getting help."

"I-Is Mirai going to be okay?!" Kirei asked nervously.

"He's going to be fine," Shougo said. "Monokuma will save him...right?"

"But can we really trust him?" Ryoko asked, worried.

We waited a few more moments, and then the blaring of sirens came. Meowykins was wearing a police siren on top of his head, and he was carrying a stretcher.

"Meowyins! Where is the ambulance?!" Monokuma asked angrily.

"We can't drive an ambulance here!" Meowykins growled. "Meow! It's too small of an area to!"

"Oh...you're right," Monokuma noticed. "Anyways, you bastards don't have to worry! I'm also known by my second name! Doctor Murder!"

"I guess that's sort of like a double negative..." Kaito said silently.

Monokuma picked Mirai up and forced him onto the stretcher, struggling through Mirai's resistance.

"S-stop it!" Mirai protested. "I want to stay next to master!"

"Emergency! Emergency! Dispatching patient to the 24-hour Monokuma care center!"

Monokuma and Meowykins took both ends of the stretcher, and ran out of the room, leaving everyone else speechless.

"Um, is rabies deadly..?" Takayashi asked hopefully.

"I don't think we have to worry," Noah sighed. "Rabies usually show symptoms within days, and Mirai is getting treated now... And of course rabies is deadly!"

I looked at the doorway with wide eyes.

Will Mirai be okay..?

...Of course he will.

He has to be.

_Continued in Chapter 3: Section 3_

**AN: Not too late to vote for your Free-Time characters! The scripted Free-Time events will definitely happen tomorrow, so vote! I noticed that this chapter had some spelling and gramatical errors...but unfortunately I didn't have time to run it by an editor. Sorry about that, hopefully it didn't bother you guys too much.**


	23. A Brief Hiatus Notice

Hey guys,

Just an update, because of personal reasons and busy life, I have to put the story up on a temporary hiatus.

This is the second time and I feel bad about it but now that winter break is over, midterms are coming up and projects are being started and it's chaotic. I hardly have any personal time because of that so when I do, it's usually not to write. I need to give my brain a break, teehee.

_**As a result, you shouldn't anticipate any chapters until February, when my midterms**_** end.**

There is a **small**chance that I may be able to update during next week, but after that, there most definitely will NOT be able to update until the beginning of February.

I would feel bad about leaving you guys out like that for an entire month, so that's why I'm writing this now.

I'm really sorry, and I hope you guys understand.

For those of you taking midterms as well, good luck! It's going to be hell for me since I have severe attention issues, lol...

See you guys February! (or hopefully next week if all goes well)


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